Heraldry

A Pictorial Archive for Artists and Designers

Arthur Charles Fox-Davies

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780486269061
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486155555
• Topic: Design
• Subtopic: Art General

Heraldry had its origin in the decorative shields used in Western Europe in the twelfth century. Today the varied and colorful designs that have developed over the centuries carry a rich aura of medieval romance that can enhance any number of artistic and design projects.
For this volume, Carol Belanger Grafton has selected 1,047 authentic heraldic designs and motifs from The Art of Heraldry, a classic study by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (1871–1928), an English barrister and foremost authority on the subject. Dating from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries, the illustrations include 393 full-color and 654 black-and-white designs: arms of individuals, among them such notables as Edward the Black Prince, John Milton, and Maximilian I; arms of institutions, corporations, guilds, towns, and cities; heraldic windows; examples of heraldic lions, eagles, and dragons; banners and crests; and more.
These designs represent a superb source of authentic royalty-free images that will give aristocratic flair to book and magazine illustrations, advertisements, newsletters, and other graphic projects. This volume is also a valuable visual reference for those interested in genealogy.

Publisher’s Note

THE ART OF HERALDRY involves the devising, the description (or blazoning) and the regulation of hereditary symbols used to distinguish not only individuals, but also institutions of all kinds, from colleges and churches to guilds and corporations Heralds were originally messengers wearing the livery of their lord; later their duties extended to the announcing of contenders at tournaments and, in time, they became the foremost authorities on all aspects of heraldry and genealogy Heraldic symbolism is generally thought to have developed out of the confluence of two medieval design practices: the identificatory markings borne by a warrior on his shield and surcoat in battle, and the insignia on seals used to authenticate documents. By the middle of the twelfth century in Western Europe, heraldic devices were already playing an important role at state functions. The earliest extant work on heraldry is the Tractatus de insigniis et armis [Treatise on Insignia and Arms], which was written ca. 1356 by Bartolo da Sassoferrato. The English College of Arms was founded in 1484. Rolls of arms, which listed, often with illustrations, the arms of participants at tournaments and other important social occasions, date from the middle of the thirteenth century in England. Painted books of arms were first produced in Germany and, during the medieval period, arms were increasingly depicted on wood, stone and glass. By the sixteenth century however, with the introduction of gunpowder into Western Europe, and the consequent development of new weaponry and new forms of warfare, armor was rapidly becoming obsolete. Coats of arms survived these changes by acquiring a new function. Since arms had always been the possession of the higher feudal castes they had indirectly served as marks of social distinction for the bearer, and this secondary role now came to predominate This shift was to a great extent responsible for the remarkable change that took place in the style of heraldic design. Simplicity is the primary stylistic characteristic of medieval arms: a warrior, when full...

Table of contents

• DOVER PICTORIAL ARCHIVE SERIES
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Publisher’s Note