Stamboom van het Habsburgse huis, blad twintig 1533 - 1535

This print, "Stamboom van het Habsburgse huis, blad twintig" by Robert Péril presents the Habsburg lineage through symbolic representation. Above the text, the names of the family members are surrounded by foliage with birds, symbols of peace, life, and renewal. Below, an angel sits at the center. Flanking this angel are images of birds holding leafy branches above groups of people. Birds often serve as messengers, linking the earthly and divine realms; together with angels, they suggest communication between the family and heaven. This visual vocabulary of birds and angels is not unique; it appears across cultures, echoing in Renaissance paintings and even earlier Byzantine mosaics. Consider the enduring symbol of the angel itself: from ancient Greece, where winged figures represented messengers of the gods, to Christian art where angels are divine intermediaries. This transformation and continuity reveals the power of symbols to adapt, embodying new meanings while retaining traces of their past. The image engages the viewer on a subconscious level, suggesting a blend of divine guidance and earthly power. Symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings as they are passed down through history, shaped by the collective consciousness of each era.