Thinking with Heraldry on the Eve of the Reformation: A Drawing by Niklaus Manuel Deutsch.

This article examines a little-studied fictional coat of arms drawing titled *Coat of Arms with a Pilgrim* by Swiss artist Niklaus Manuel (c. 1515), arguing that it subtly subverts traditional heraldic conventions to reflect contemporary anxieties about the instability of earthly status symbols. By incorporating iconographies of Fortuna and the homo viator (pilgrim or wayfarer), Manuel’s work challenges the presumed security and fixed meanings of heraldic insignia, inviting self-reflection on spiritual and social identity amid the cultural transformations preceding the Reformation. The drawing participates in a broader artistic tradition—including works by Albrecht Dürer and Martin Schongauer—where heraldry serves as a framework for exploring allegory, ornament, and the fluidity of meaning rather than straightforward identification. Contextualized within Bernese gift culture and reformist theological debates, the image highlights the tension between worldly vanity and spiritual humility, positioning the artist as a mediator who both employs and critiques heraldic imagery during a period of shifting social and religious values.