Dirk Schaap, gezant bij de koning van Zweden 1674

This silver medal commemorates Dirk Schaap's envoy to the King of Sweden and was likely struck in 1674. The coat-of-arms on one side demands our attention, for heraldry is a language in itself. Coats-of-arms are not merely decorative; they are potent symbols of lineage and power. Like the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs or the emblems adorning Roman shields, they speak of identity and heritage. Consider the griffin, the lion, and the crown, all arranged within the escutcheon; each element has evolved across millennia, shifting in meaning, yet invariably evoking notions of strength, nobility, and divine sanction. We find related symbols reappearing across cultures, like echoes in the collective unconscious. The lion, for instance, embodies royalty and courage in the Old Testament, and it roars across the canvases of Renaissance masters. Each appearance, whether on a medieval banner or a Baroque ceiling, taps into a primal understanding of power. This medal is a poignant example of how cultural symbols persist, evolve, and continue to shape our understanding of the world.