Wapenschild van de familie Behaim c. 1525

Curator: Welcome. Before us is "Wapenschild van de familie Behaim," or "Coat of Arms of the Behaim Family," an engraving created around 1525. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: My first thought is that it is incredibly detailed, given the limitations of engraving techniques at the time. I’m drawn to the way the dense patterns contrast with the stark, open space within the shield on the right. It looks incomplete. Curator: The symbolism is rooted in the Behaim family's aspirations. The heraldic eagle and crown are common symbols of power, signaling a desire for higher social status and recognition within their community and beyond. These armorial bearings played an important public role. Editor: Absolutely. But let’s consider the labour involved in its production. Every line, every dot was painstakingly etched, reflecting a specific process and material engagement. The distribution of such prints offered a visual assertion of familial power, yet its relatively small scale meant it likely circulated among a specific, moneyed class, emphasizing exclusive access. Curator: Certainly. The work's materiality, the very act of printmaking, shaped its reception, controlling who would see the artwork and what kind of symbolic and real power would become visible. This image had meaning within a particular cultural sphere. Editor: The contrast in textures and patterns across the two shields must have taken enormous precision and concentration by the engraver. Consider that these prints functioned within the economy as signs of a family's market position, quite different from tapestries or sculptures owned by aristocracy. Curator: Very true. It's fascinating how such a seemingly small work carries so much historical and cultural weight. I will certainly remember the tension between visibility and accessibility. Editor: Agreed. This work reveals to me the true means and material dimensions of what the Behaim family chose to symbolize about itself at the dawn of the 16th century.