Plate 3: The Marriage of Henry IV and Marie de Medici, from Caspar Barlaeus, "Medicea Hospes" 1638

This engraving by Pieter Nolpe immortalizes The Marriage of Henry IV and Marie de Medici. Look closely, and you’ll notice the figures flanking the central couple, each holding shields adorned with potent symbols: the fleur-de-lis for France and the Medici coat of arms. The fleur-de-lis, a stylized lily, transcends mere heraldry. In antiquity, the lily represented purity and was associated with powerful goddesses like Hera, before it was adopted by the French monarchy to evoke divine right and legitimacy. Observe how Nolpe, through this image, links the power of the French crown to enduring symbols of authority and continuity. The scene calls to mind earlier depictions of royal unions, where gestures of alliance and dynastic ambition were paramount. This echoes through centuries, a recurring motif in the theater of power. Symbols, like actors on a stage, reappear, adapted to new dramas, yet forever tethered to their origins. Nolpe’s image is not just a record, but an echo chamber of cultural memory.