Coat of Arms of the Haarlem Chamber of Rhetoric 'De Pellicaen'

This engraving centers on Christ crucified upon a living branch, framed by a wreathed oval and the motto 'Trou moet blycken' (Loyalty must be shown). To the left, an allegorical figure of Faith holds a cross, while Hope stands on the right with her anchor. At the foot of the cross, a pelican pierces its own breast to feed its young with its blood, a symbol of self-sacrifice set against a distant view of Haarlem.

As a blazoen for a Dutch Rederijkerskamer, this work reflects the intersection of civic literary culture and religious emblemata. The pelican-in-her-piety is a central motif in both Christian iconography and the alchemical tradition, where it symbolizes the 'Great Work' and the stage of rubedo or rejuvenation through sacrificial essence.