Wapenschild met een hert, vastgehouden door een wildeman met een knots c. 1470 - 1491

Martin Schongauer created this engraving of a coat-of-arms with a deer, held by a wild man, sometime before his death in 1491. Produced in Germany during the late medieval period, it offers insight into the social and cultural values of the time. The image creates meaning through a combination of visual codes and cultural references. Coats-of-arms were important symbols of status and lineage among the European aristocracy. The wild man, a figure from folklore, adds an element of untamed power and perhaps serves as a reminder of ancestral origins. The inclusion of such imagery suggests the enduring influence of tradition and mythology on the social structures of the time. To truly understand this work, one would need to consult historical texts, heraldic records, and studies of folklore. Art provides an invaluable window into the values, beliefs, and social dynamics of a particular time and place.