Vignet met twee vleugels, het monogram HW en het wapen van de stad Haarlem 17th century

This anonymous emblem was made using woodcut in the Netherlands, probably sometime in the 17th or 18th century. It combines the winged symbol of personal or family identity, represented by the initials HW, with the civic regalia of Haarlem. The juxtaposition reflects the social and economic life of the Dutch Republic. Here, individual ambition, and perhaps religious faith, found its place within a clearly defined structure of civic authority. The device would have functioned like a logo, perhaps for a printer or merchant, who saw their interests as tied to the fortunes of the city. A look into the archives of Haarlem might tell us who this was and give some clue about the interplay between the individual and the town. It reminds us that artistic meanings are always rooted in complex social and institutional settings.