Plate 39: Men with heraldic flags and horses from Burgundy and Artois marching in the funeral procession of Archduke Albert of Austria; from 'Pompa Funebris ... Alberti Pii' 1623

This print, made by Cornelis Galle I, depicts a funeral procession, a solemn dance of power and memory. Dominating the scene are the heraldic flags, the symbolic language of noble houses. The lion rampant on the Limbourg flag speaks of courage, nobility, and royalty, a motif stretching back to ancient Mesopotamia and resurfacing across Europe in countless coats of arms. Note how this lion, a symbol of strength, is rendered here in a context of mourning. Consider, too, the eagle on the Carniola flag, an emblem of imperial power since Roman times, reborn in the Holy Roman Empire. Here, it silently acknowledges the Archduke's passing, a reminder of mortality's reach, even to those of high status. Such symbols are not static. They are vessels of cultural memory, constantly being reinterpreted. The psychological weight of these images lies in their ability to evoke deep-seated emotions, connecting us to a shared past, a collective consciousness where power, death, and remembrance are eternally intertwined.