The raven is reputedly the unlucky bird. It was often a symbol of illness, war and death. To ward off the misfortune connected with this bird, people used to keep a live one in a cage or put its image on a stone or sign in front of the house.
The location in the facade makes it very clear that this raven did not originally belong here. In 1912 IN THE RAVEN was therefore in the depository in the inner courtyard at the Helpoort. Prior to that Victor de Stuers had spotted a raven at 17 Capucijnenstraat in 1868, which was marked as 17 IN DEN RAEF 36. Although among the remaining ravens (3 pieces, all reinstated but with an unclear origin) there is not one that bears that date, in this case it is probably IN DEN RAEF, which has been reinstated in Cortenstraat 11 in the side wall of Mastrichter Heidenstraat. In Alexander Simais' photo album, Capucijnenstraat was also mentioned as the original address, but without the year. The question is, of course, where that (loose year markers?) has gone then?
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