Angel Holding in His Right Hand the Coat of Arms of Basel and in His Left Hand a House-Mark 15th-16th century

Curator: This engaging print at the Harvard Art Museums is titled "Angel Holding in His Right Hand the Coat of Arms of Basel and in His Left Hand a House-Mark" and is by an anonymous artist. Editor: The angel's somber expression and the stark contrast of the lines evoke a sense of gravity, like a symbol caught between the sacred and the civic. Curator: Absolutely. These symbols, particularly the Basel coat of arms, root it in a specific socio-political reality. The house mark, though, speaks to a more personal, perhaps commercial, history. Editor: The angel, a visual trope for mediation, bridges the divine with earthly governance and individual identity. What cultural continuities might this imagery represent? Curator: Given the heraldry and house mark, perhaps the negotiation between spiritual authority and emerging merchant power within the city of Basel. Editor: It is fascinating how this image situates the figure between the institutional and the individual, making me consider art's role in expressing those competing forces. Curator: Indeed, a poignant reminder of how symbols intertwine personal identity with wider communal forces.