Coat of Arms [reverse] 1536

This is a cast medal of ‘Coat of Arms [reverse]’ by Peter Dell the Elder, made sometime in the first half of the sixteenth century. The medal presents a complex visual field within its circular form. The central coat of arms, featuring a sinuous, eel-like form across horizontal bands, is surmounted by a crested helmet, visually dense with swirling foliage and zoomorphic forms. All of this is encased within the crisp, orderly lettering around the edge. The artist plays with contrasting textures and depths. The central emblem projects powerfully, set against the flatter, more stylized background of floral motifs. Consider how this contrast complicates our reading. The composition offers a field of heraldic and ornamental vocabulary, where the arrangement challenges fixed meanings. The use of Latin script, though orderly in appearance, opens the piece to various interpretations depending on the viewer's knowledge and cultural background. Ultimately, this medal functions not just as a heraldic marker but as a dynamic site for the construction and deconstruction of identity and meaning.