Reproductie van een prent van een schild met een eenhoorn, vastgehouden door een vrouw door Martin Schongauer before 1872

This reproduction of a print, likely made by Simonau & Toovey, depicts a shield with a unicorn held by a woman. The circular composition immediately draws the eye, framing a scene steeped in allegory. The texture is rendered through fine lines, giving depth to the figures and objects within the medallion. The image is structured around the central figures: the woman and the unicorn shield. Her stance and the shield's placement suggest themes of protection, possibly of purity or grace. The subtle shading creates a contrast that highlights the shield, making it a focal point that invites deeper symbolic interpretation. Consider how this circular format—a self-contained world—might reflect the philosophical ideas prevalent at the time of the original print's creation. What values are being protected or challenged? How does this symbolic representation tap into the broader cultural narratives of virtue and power?