Heraldry as art: An account of its development and practice, chiefly in England

=introductory= 1

The Origin of Heraldry--Its Uses--Symbolism--Artistic Development--The Character of Mediaeval Treatment--The Personal Quality--Fourteenth century Examples--The Influence of the Tournaments--Renaissance Heraldry--Decadence--Gothic Revival--The Use of Examples--The Aims of Heraldic Design.

CHAPTER II. =THE EVOLUTION OF SHIELD FORMS= 16

The Achievement--Its Composition and Proportions--Modifications of Proportion--The Design of the Heraldic Group--Essential Qualities--Variability of Grouping--The Shield--Its Structure and Shape as a Fighting Defence--The Norman Shield and its Successors--Shields “for Peace”--Pageant Shields--How they were Made--The Tournament Shield--Evolution of Decorative Forms--Foliated Shields--Fifteenth and Sixteenth Century Examples--Freedom in Shield Design--Heraldic Accuracy--What is Essential.

=heraldic Rules= 39

A Simple Manual of Heraldic Facts--The Shield Surface--The Tinctures--Divisions of the Field--Ordinaries--Sketches “in Trick”--Charges and their Arrangement.

=animals and Monsters= 66

The Heraldic Lion as a Type--Examples of Various Periods--Heraldic Character--Obligatory Poses and Decorative Distribution--Methods of Spacing--Characterization--Imaginary Creatures--Unicorns, Dragons and Griffins.

CHAPTER V. =HERALDIC BIRDS AND OTHER FIGURES, ANIMATE AND INANIMATE= 89

Eagles--Early Types--Plan of Distribution--Other Birds--Bird Monsters--Human Figures--Inanimate Charges--Crosses of many Forms--Fleurs-de-lis--Examples of Various Periods--The Rose--The Irish Harp--Surface Treatment--Diaper, its use in Sculpture, Painting and Engraving--Diapers of Badges.

CHAPTER VI. =HELM, CREST AND MANTLING= 117

The Helm--Its Structure--Ceremonial Use--Development as Armour--Helmets and their Mechanism--Tourney Helms--The Crest--How Made and Fixed--Examples of Actual Crests--Influence of Practical Conditions on their Pose--Difficulties in Design and How to Deal with Them--The Pose of Helmets--The Torse--Mantling--Its Evolution from Simple Drapery--Its Treatment in Relation to Shield and Crested Helm--Colour--Certain Restrictions.

=armorial Accessories= 139

Supporters--Derivation from Badges--Special Conditions of their Pose--Non-Heraldic Supporters--Amorini--Angels--Symbolic Figures--The Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire--And of Prussia--The Imperial Crown--Authorized Type for Present Use--The Coronet of the Prince of Wales--Coronets of Peers--The Question of the Cap--Baronets’ Badges--Insignia of Knighthood--The Garter--The Collar and George--Other Orders--Relation of Orders to the Shield--Their Importance as Indications of Relative Rank--Typical Examples.

CHAPTER VIII. =METHODS AND MATERIALS= 164

Illumination--Practical Directions--Methods of the Early Illuminators--Colour Treatment--Heraldry in Enamel--Champlevé Enamel, Personal and Monumental--The Cloak Clasp of Queen Eleanor--The Shield of William de Valence--Stall-plates of the Garter--“Limoges” Enamel--Heraldic Enamel by Nardon Penicaud--Bassetaille--Plique-a-jour --Heraldry in Metal--Application of Old Examples to Present Use--Bronze--Monumental Brasses--Cast Iron Firebacks--Pierced and Chiselled Iron Lock-plates--Keys--Repoussé--Engraved Metal--Ceremonial Weapons and Implements--Lead-work--Deposited Metal.

CHAPTER IX. =ARCHITECTURAL DECORATION= 204

Badges at Blois--And at Hampton Court--Sculpture--Sgraffito--Gesso as a Material for Heraldic Relief--Methods of Preparation--A Series of Shields in Painted Gesso--Poker Work--Schemes of Decoration--Stained Glass--Technical Conditions--Colour Scheme--Working Drawings--Pugin’s Designs for the Houses of Parliament--Powell’s Drawings--Armorial Windows at Ockwells Manor--Painted Windows in Florence--The Swiss Painted Glass--Holbein.

=embroidered Heraldry= 246

Surcoats--Bardings--Embroidered Linen--Banners--Appliqué Work--Embroidered Badges--The Toison d’or of Charles the Bold--Standards--The Proportions of Banners from Early Times--The Direction of their Charges and the Reasons therefor--The Composition of the Union Jack--Practical Explanation of its Construction--Painted Banners--How Prepared--Trumpet Banners--Heraldic Lace.

CHAPTER XI. =SOME MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES= 267

Heraldic Crowns--Chaplets--Roundels--Knots.

=marks of Cadency= 286

The Origin of the Label--Its Shape and Varieties--Ordinary Marks of Cadency--Their Significance--How Displayed--Royal Cadency--The Distinguishing Marks of Cadency of Present Personages of the Blood Royal.

Introductory

In dealing with heraldry from the artist’s point of view, as a decorative subject which offers interesting scope for technical effort, it will not be necessary to go overmuch into the question of its origin, nor to elaborate its history beyond what is needed to give such knowledge of its methods as may help the doing of present work or the intelligent appreciation of the old. Nevertheless, the archaeological aspect of the subject, the conditions and rules of its existence, must also be carefully studied in order to ensure the correctness of the statement that heraldry makes and of which heraldic art is the expression.

As for its origin, we may safely say that heraldry, in its essence, began when man first used natural forms to symbolize, and ascribe to himself, those qualities--strength, courage, cunning--which he had full cause to recognize in the beasts with whom he struggled for existence; when he reproduced, as well as he could, their ferocious aspect, to strike terror into his human enemies while satisfying his own warlike vanity, and so adopted them as badges or even as totems.

In Europe heraldry began to be systematized (as we know it) somewhere about the eleventh century, and it flourished exceedingly until about the middle of the sixteenth century, the period thus indicated being that of its greatest strength and beauty.

The development of defensive armour dictated the placing on it of the badges that had for long been used in other ways, so that, being depicted on the shield, they became the arms, and became the crest when displayed on the head-piece. The device worked on the garment which covered the body armour made it a veritable coat of arms, and this term, as well as that of coat armour, came in time to be also applied to the similar armorials of the shield.

The Crusades, in their aggregation of troops of various nationalities, helped to extend, in showing the necessity for, a regular system of heraldry as a means of distinguishing one party from another, and the feudal system itself with its numerous groups, each under its knightly or noble head in ever-extending subordination, conduced to the same end.

The Tournaments which played so brilliant a part in the splendours of the Middle Ages also afforded fresh and greatest scope for heraldic magnificence. Being restricted for the most part to competitors of noble birth, many of whom were attracted from distant places, they afforded opportunity for observation and comparison of the various bearings. They naturally suggested the inclusion of foreign as well as native armorials in the heraldic MS. of the times, as we find them depicted in the Rolls of Arms. The necessity for well-ordered arrangement soon made itself felt, and thence was evolved systematic heraldry as it now exists. The rules thus originated, being based on the ever-present difficulties which arose in the actual use of coat armour, were admirable for their purpose, for they were devised with a common-sense regard for the conditions under which they were to be applied, were at first simple and therefore easily understood.

The manner in which the arms were displayed was the most conspicuous that was possible, every suitable space that offered itself being employed to bear them in one form or another. Thus in time they appeared on the shield, helmet and surcoat, and also on the ailettes, those flat pieces of steel which were used to still further deflect a blow which had slid from the helmet and might otherwise have injured the shoulder.

The use of heraldry in battle or tournament by no means exhausted its possibilities, however, for even in the warlike Middle Ages armorials were used by priests and women, and by statesmen whose services were those of the council chamber rather than of the field. In every case their strong personal and allusive quality was felt to the full, and intensified the human interest in ordinary things. So that the enamelled brooch of Queen Eleanor, with its arms of her warrior husband Edward I linked with her own, becomes something more than a mere fastening; and the armorial robes of the noble wife who wears her husband’s armorials on her mantle, covering and protecting her own arms embroidered on her gown, are made beautiful expressions of a chivalrous idea.

Heraldry was made especially interesting by the symbolic meanings which it embodied, thus expressing in its own way a very universal desire for significance in decorative forms. In the Middle Ages, especially full as they were of militant fervour and chivalric mysticism, symbolism entered into everything. Not the heraldry alone but every part of a knight’s armour had a mystic meaning, the knowledge of which was an important part of a knightly education. Many of these meanings are quaintly set forth in one of the books that Caxton printed, The Order of Chivalry. Therein the shield is considered as the especial emblem of its bearer and of his knightly duty, for “like as the stroke falleth down upon the shield and saveth the knight right so the knight ought to apparel him and present his body tofore his lord when he is in peril hurt or taken.” Even the manner of doing things was underlaid by beautiful ideas. So he who bore the sword of Justice in a ceremony was enjoined to bear it truly upright, for Justice should lean neither to one side nor the other, but be impartial between the two.

Besides the creatures (lions and so forth) which were taken to signify strength, courage, fidelity and other virtues, there were also those which symbolized the great mystery of the perpetuation of life, which has appealed to the imagination of man throughout historic times. The Peacock, in the periodical renewing of his splendour of plumage; the Swan, emerging in spotless beauty from the dusky obscurity of its cygnet state, both expressed this universal idea. To Christian chivalry the Peacock typified the Resurrection and therefore Immortality, and the Swan became the emblem of that cult of womanhood which was so beautiful and characteristic of knightly regard. The symbolism of the Cross and the emblems of saints and martyrs form a large part of heraldry, as is natural. Plants and flowers were naturally taken to express beautiful qualities--constancy, purity, love--as with similar intention they may still be acceptably employed in the wreaths and garlands which are, on occasion, associated with armorials.