Vignet met twee wapens met een kroon, een leeuw en een hert 1836 - 1912

Isaac Weissenbruch made this tiny etching of two coats-of-arms flanked by a lion and a deer. The work exemplifies the visual language of power in Europe in the 19th century. Heraldry, with its symbolic animals and mottoes, was a means for royal families and aristocratic dynasties to visually assert their claims to authority. The lion is a symbol of courage, the deer represents peace and harmony. Together they support the crowned shield which indicates noble status. Banners proclaim the family mottoes. "Je Maintiendrai" is French for "I will maintain," while "Furchtlos und treu" is German for "Fearless and Loyal". The choice of both languages suggests either a family with lands in different territories or a pointed expression of allegiance across national lines. Historical research into the archives of noble families can reveal the specific social and political networks to which such heraldry refers. By studying these signs and symbols, we can gain insight into the ways power was imagined and performed in the past.