Emblems In Scotland

Emblems in the visual arts use motifs which have meanings, and in this ground-breaking, richly illustrated book Michael Bath, leading authority on Renaissance emblem books, shows how such symbolic motifs in Scotland address major historical issues of Anglo-Scottish relations.

"The many pieces of embroidery by Mary Queen of Scots or by Elizabeth Countess of Shrewsbury ('Bess of Hardwick') are among the best-known and most fascinating examples of historical embroidery. However, many questions surrounding their meaning and purpose - and, above all, the sources and patterns used for their imagery (including birds, fish, flowers, monograms, emblems and other devices) - remain unanswered." "In 1548, the five-year-old Queen of Scots left her native Scotland to begin her French upbringing as the future Queen of France and it was here that she learned the art of decorative needlework, continuing with the craft during the last twenty years of her exile and confinement in England. Many of her embroideries have survived and can be seen at Oxburgh Hall (Norfolk), the Victoria and Albert Museum and elsewhere, but many more have since disappeared. In this new study Michael Bath not only describes and illustrates the surviving embroideries, but also documents from early records a large number of those that have disappeared." "Many of these embroidered panels use emblems, combining a symbolic image with a learned adage, and Professor Bath shows how, in their own day, these were believed to hold moral, political and religious messages which expressed the Catholic queen's values, purposes and intentions. For this reason we find records of them in the forgotten files of the Elizabethan secret services. Mary's emblematic embroideries shed new light on issues surrounding one of the most controversial figures in English and Scottish history. At the same time, this new study shows exactly what sources - prints, engravings, book illustrations - the embroiderers drew on for their patterns, and it includes the first full catalogue raisonne of all the known embroideries created by these two remarkable women."--BOOK JACKET.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.

These two volumes offer an unprecedented collection of flags, seals, and symbols used every day around the world. In today's global society it is necessary to recognize and identify not only our own symbols, but symbols from nations and territories far removed from home. Empowering readers to identify symbols in daily use all over the world, The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems features an extensive collection of international symbols and cultural emblems never before compiled in such a concise and easy-to-use work. It is inclusive of all the UN member states and some of the most prominent stateless nations. This refreshing alternative to other commonly used sites blends both the political and cultural, including not only flags, national seals, and national anthems, but also foods and recipes, national heroes, sports teams, festivals, and pivotal events that figure in the formation of national identity. This versatile source will prove valuable to a wide audience, benefiting not only high school and undergraduate student researchers, but international businesses, journalists, and government offices.