Piece c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have an anonymous piece from an unknown date, simply titled "Piece," currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small, detailed image, like a heraldic crest. What do you see in this piece, beyond the immediate imagery? Curator: This emblem, though seemingly simple, speaks volumes about power structures and identity. Heraldry was historically a visual language of the elite, encoding lineage, land ownership, and legitimacy. Its adoption, adaptation, or subversion by marginalized groups could be read as acts of resistance, a visual claiming of space. Who is allowed to have a history, and how is that history recorded? Editor: That's fascinating! So, this piece might be more than just a pretty image? Curator: Precisely. The act of creating a coat of arms, even anonymously, becomes a powerful statement about belonging and the right to representation. It prompts us to question who gets to define history. Editor: I never thought about it that way before! Curator: These symbols are never neutral.