Female Nude (Fortune?) Supporting Two Heraldic Shields

In this stained glass panel, a strong female figure appears to balance the crests, or emblems, of two families identified as the Gruners and the Öllingers. The shield-shaped crests together may refer to a wedding between the two families; however, no documents have been found recording such a marriage. Female figures as seen here were almost always symbolic. This woman probably represents the concept of Fortune. At the time this panel was made, northern European artists worked to depict the human form in three dimensions based on artistic models drawn from western European antiquity. This stained glass section formed part of a window for a secular building and served as the top element among small circular or diamond-shaped panes.