1633Town view with mayors’ coats of arms

In the foyer on the first floor of the Town Hall is the largest depiction of a 17th-century view of Alsfeld. The city view was supplemented with mayoral coats of arms at a later date. The rows of coats of arms are interrupted on the left half by an arch in which three cherubs present the coat of arms of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt (left) and the city of Alsfeld (right).

In the lower area of this scene are two female allegories turning toward each other for a kiss of peace. Their attributes identify them as Justitia (Justice) with a sword and scales, and Pax (Concord/Peace) with an olive branch. This type of depiction follows the Baroque pictorial tradition and was particularly popular after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648.

The dating of the oil painting is disputed. An earlier dating around 1633 is supported by the fact that in that year an unknown painter received a commission to produce a city view of a similar size. Furthermore, the painting shows an intact cityscape without the destruction of the Thirty Years’ War. It is therefore assumed that the year 1657 above the arch refers to the addition of the mayoral coats of arms. Further coats of arms were added bit by bit until there was no more space and the series was continued on a new painting hanging above the one described here. The coats of arms testify to the civic pride and self-confidence of Alsfeld’s mayors since the early modern period. (MJ)