Coat-of-Arms, with two unicorns 1645

Editor: This anonymous piece, "Coat-of-Arms, with two unicorns", shows an incredible level of detail, and I can't help but wonder about the story it tells. What stands out to you in terms of its historical context or symbolism? Curator: Well, unicorns, often perceived as symbols of purity and grace, were also linked to power and nobility. Consider how this imagery might have functioned within a specific social hierarchy. What kind of statement was being made here? Editor: That's fascinating. So it wasn't just about aesthetics, but also about asserting social standing and potentially excluding others? Curator: Precisely. Coats-of-arms were never neutral; they were carefully constructed narratives about identity and power. The inclusion of the unicorns, along with other symbols, reveals a complex interplay of cultural values and social ambitions.