Coat of Arms with Three Bells in an Ornate Frame

During his exile in Antwerp, Hollar did not break off the contacts he had established while still in England. He not only continued his work for the Earl of Arundel and his wife, but - as we can appreciate in this print - he also worked for other patrons. A similar coat of arms featuring three bells and a winged helm belonges to the English-Scottish noble family of Porter. One of its prominent members, Endymion Porter (1587-1649), was a diplomat and Royalist. He associated with the same artists with whom Wenceslaus Hollar was in contact at Arundel's court, notably Anthony van Dyck. Endymion Porter also spent some time in Antwerp during the English Civil War. Hollar could have therefore been acquainted with him and they might have met on various occasions. Nevertheless, this coat of arms can belong to another European noble family. This example of Hollar's work is outstanding for its unique character: it has been previously unknown and is the sole known impression. The National Gallery in Prague has acquired the work for its collections in 2017.