Journal of the Society of Arts : Volume LI, No. 2623 [‎710v] (10/32)

3°8
[February 27, 1903-.
JOURNAL OF THE
used in war in the old way, with such exceptions
as banners and the decorative and emblematic
shields on ships of war, and it, of course,
remained an essential part of the tournaments,
while they continued to exist, but heraldry in
the main became merely decorative thence
forward, retaining, of course, its allusive and
symbolic qualities. In this way it greatly in
creased , thus sharing in the impetus given to the
arts by the end of the Wars of the Roses. At this
time a remarkable number of simple flowers
came into heraldic use, columbine, gilly
flowers, marigolds, honeysuckle, and many
more appearing not only as arms but in gar
lands as decorative accessories.
By this time also the shield shapes had be
come less simple, following in their cuspings the
fluted armour of which they formed part, and
others of which large numbers were designed
by the little masters were frank applications of
the decorative scrolls of the time. 1 he concave
shield whose raised edges took the light and
helped to define the form, while assisting, to
gether with the shadow within it, the distri
bution of light and shade, became much in use.
Some of the early renaissance heraldry re
tained much of the excellence of the preceding
Gothic as regards the pose of the figures and
the general composition, and it attempted, in
addition, the characterisation that was want
ing in the earlier work. In many respects it
was very admirable, and seems, in its indivi
dual thought working on some of the sug
gestions or traditions of the older style, to
suggest the lines on which modern heraldry
might develop. At the same time there
was a more naturalistic school, of which
the heraldry in Della Robbia’s work may be
taken as the expression, and this also is
interesting, but as a warning. It most
unfortunately overpowered the more decorative
style, and ultimately developed into the feeble
ness which characterised the heraldry that
preceded the revival in the last century.
A well-known example of the better renais
sance is the plate by Albert Diirer, of a shield
bearing a rampant lion. In this plate there
is also evident a desire to render the mantling
more cloth-like, though still complicated.
Mantling afterwards followed the influence of
the conventional leaf forms of the renaissance.
I have ventured to give you this slight sketch
of the development of the artistic side of
heraldry, not as a mere historic retrospect, but
because it is in the study of old work that
guidance is to be found for present require
ments. But in this connection, a word of
OF ARTS.
warning may perhaps be permitted against
making a fetish of the work of any period,
however good. Another is against mere copy
ing of old examples however excellent, except,
of course, for purposes of study. Merely to
copy bits of heraldic precedent and to piece
them together is not the way to make an
artistic thing at all. A copy has no vitality of
its own, and cannot even reproduce that of its
original, for it is more than doubtful if it is
possible to reproduce the spirit of work done
under other conditions and modes of thought.
Even Pugin, to whom the revival of decorative
heraldry owes so much, with all his sympathy,
and with all his powers of draughtsmanship,
cannot be said to have altogether caught the
intense vigour of his originals.
Again, hardly anything possesses, at the
same time, all the good qualities that it might
have, and we sometimes excuse the absence of
one because of the supreme way in which
another is expressed. In doing new work a
broader view is necessary if it is to result in
anything but a shadow of a former style.
Heraldry should be expressive, interesting, and
decorative. Original in treatment, and exhibit
ing the qualities that the best of the old work
teaches us to desire, rather than being a copy of
it. The term “ original” here does not mean
expression by means of wild arrangements of
weird lines, which are perhaps original in the
sense that there is nothing like them on earth,
but rather the originality, or, perhaps I should
say, individuality, which comes from serious
attempts to express qualities rather than to
copy styles.
The artistic expression of heraldry may be
regarded in two ways ; as a representation of
an actual shield, crest, helm, and so forth, as
they would be represented in a picture, of a
tournament for instance, or as a presentation
of the essential heraldic facts, in the way that
is thought most expressive but without too much
regard to preceding styles. The former seems
more suitable to ancient and historic arms,
and the latter to be more likely to harmonise
with modern decorative surroundings, as well
as to possess more vitality and variety in itself.
This harmony with surrounding decoration,
is one of the essentials of design that should be
continually kept in mind. Another condition,
equally important, is suitability to the materials
and methods by which the design is ex
pressed. The two very obvious points can
not be too often insisted on, however
wearisome the reiteration, for they are even
now frequently ignored. One hears of shields