|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
emblem
emblem. A visual image carrying a symbolic meaning and often accompanied by texts to explain this meaning. In its most typical form the emblem consisted of a picture, a motto, and an explanatory verse called an epigram. For example, one of the most famous emblems depicted a dolphin and an anchor with the Latin motto Festina lente (Make haste slowly), to symbolize the idea that maturity is achieved by a combination of the speed and energy of the dolphin and the steadiness and gravity of the anchor. The aim of the emblem therefore was to give symbolic expression to a moral adage. Printed collections of emblems (‘emblem books’) enjoyed a great vogue in the 16th and 17th centuries and were often used as sources of pictorial imagery. The first and most popular of such books was Emblematum liber (1531) by Andrea Alciati (1492–1550), an Italian lawyer and scholar; it went through dozens of editions before the end of the century. In terms of art history, the most important emblem book is Iconologia (1593; first illustrated edition, 1603) by the Italian writer Cesare Ripa (c.1555–1622), which became the standard handbook on iconography for artists.
|
|
|
Cite this article
IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-emblem.html IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-emblem.html |
|
emblem
emblem. A visual image carrying a symbolic meaning and often accompanied by texts to explain this meaning. In its most typical form the emblem consisted of a picture, a motto, and an explanatory verse called an epigram. For example, one of the most famous emblems depicted a dolphin and an anchor with the motto ‘Festina Lente’ (‘Make haste slowly’), to symbolize the idea that maturity is achieved by a combination of the speed and energy of the dolphin and the steadiness and gravity of the anchor. The aim of the emblem therefore was to give symbolic expression to a moral adage. Printed collections of emblems (‘emblem books’) enjoyed a great vogue in the 16th and 17th centuries and were often used as sources of pictorial imagery. In particular, Iconologia (1593; 1st illustrated edn., 1603) by the Italian writer Cesare Ripa (c.1555–1622) became the standard handbook on iconography for artists.
|
|
|
Cite this article
IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-emblem.html IAN CHILVERS. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists. 2003. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O3-emblem.html |
|
emblem
em·blem / ˈembləm/ • n. a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family: America's national emblem, the bald eagle. ∎ a thing serving as a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept: our child would be a dazzling emblem of our love. DERIVATIVES: em·blem·at·ic / ˌembləˈmatik/ adj. em·blem·at·i·cal adj. |
|
|
Cite this article
"emblem." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "emblem." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-emblem.html "emblem." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-emblem.html |
|
emblem
emblem a heraldic device or symbolic object as a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family. The word is recorded from the late 16th century (as a verb), and comes from Latin emblema ‘inlaid work, raised ornament’, from Greek emblēma ‘insertion’, from emballein ‘throw in, insert’.
emblem book a book of a kind popular in medieval and Renaissance Europe, containing drawings accompanied by allegorical interpretations. |
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-emblem.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "emblem." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-emblem.html |
|
emblem
emblem.
1. Picture, sign, or device expressing a moral allegory. 2. Picture of an object serving as a symbolic representation of an abstraction. 3. Device used as a badge of a person, family, Saint, etc. C16 and C17 emblems were often connected with hidden meanings, and books of emblematic designs were important sources of architectural decoration. |
|
|
Cite this article
JAMES STEVENS CURL. "emblem." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JAMES STEVENS CURL. "emblem." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-emblem.html JAMES STEVENS CURL. "emblem." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 2000. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O1-emblem.html |
|
emblem
emblem †allegorical picture XV; symbolical representation, figured object with symbolic meaning XVII. — L. emblēma inlaid work, raised ornament — Gr. émblēma, -at-, insertion. f. emblē, embállein throw in, insert, f. EM-2 + bállein throw.
Hence emblematic(al) XVII. |
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-emblem.html T. F. HOAD. "emblem." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-emblem.html |
|
emblem
emblem
•amalgam • Targum • begum
•Brigham • lingam • ogham • sorghum
•Nahum • Belgium • dodgem
•Brummagem • stratagem • Rackham
•Malcolm • Ascham • Beckham
•welcome • vade mecum • stickum
•dinkum • modicum • hypericum
•capsicum • viaticum • practicum
•Occam
•hokum, locum, oakum
•bunkum
•alum, Calum, mallam, vallum
•Pablum
•Haarlem, Harlem, Malayalam, slalom
•antebellum, cerebellum, elm, helm, overwhelm, pelham, realm, underwhelm, vellum
•emblem • bedlam • peplum
•exemplum • wychelm • Kenelm
•Salem • velum
•aspergillum, chillum, film, vexillum
•Whitlam • clingfilm • telefilm
•microfilm
•asylum, hilum, phylum, whilom
•column, olm, solemn
•problem • golem • hoodlum • Ulm
•incunabulum, pabulum
•coagulum • pendulum • speculum
•curriculum • cimbalom • paspalum
•Absalom • Jerusalem • tantalum
|
|
|
Cite this article
"emblem." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "emblem." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-emblem.html "emblem." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-emblem.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
