Emblem with Blank Heraldic Shield, folio 156 from the Anthologia Gnomonica c. 1579 - 1937

This emblem with a blank heraldic shield was created by Jost Amman in the late 16th century as part of the Anthologia Gnomonica, using engraving. The composition is dominated by symmetry, framing a void that invites symbolic projection. Note the contrasting figures: to the left, a classical, draped female figure and quadruped evoking learned traditions, and to the right, a hoope bird and a gnome alluding to nature and craft. The blank shield, centrally placed, becomes a focal point, challenging fixed meanings. Amman sets up a dynamic interplay between form and content by employing fine, precise lines to create a detailed yet open-ended design. This emblem invites viewers to consider how cultural symbols can be both inherited and actively constructed. The tension between established forms and new interpretations reflects the shifting intellectual landscape of the Renaissance.