Coat of arms of the University of Chicago

Last updated
Coat of arms of the
University of Chicago
University of Chicago Coat of arms.png
Armiger University of Chicago
AdoptedAugust 15, 1910
Blazon Argent, a phoenix displayed Gules, langued Azure, in flame proper. On a chief Gules, a book expanded proper, edged and bound Or. On dexter page of book the words Crescat scientia, inscribed, three lines in pesse Sable. On sinister page the words, vita excolatur, inscribed, three lines in pesse Sable.

The coat of arms of the University of Chicago is the assumed heraldic achievement of the University of Chicago.

Contents

History

The coat of arms of the University of Chicago was assumed by resolution of the university's board of trustees on August 15, 1910. [1] The blazon was devised by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose, working under the direction of university architect Charles Coolidge. [2] An initial version had the book appearing without the division of the chief, however, it was noted that this would make it appear as though the book itself were being burned; the final version placed the book in chief to avoid this appearance. [2] The arms were modified the following year with the addition of the motto Crescat scientia; vita excolatur on the pages of the open book in chief. [1]

Since 2012, the University of Chicago uses a modified version of its arms which eliminates the chief and makes the book appear suspended directly over the flame-engulfed Phoenix. [3] The tinctures are also suppressed to two: Gules and Argent. [3] This modified version of the arms, when used in tandem with the university's wordmark, comprise the logo. [3]

Design

Blazon

Argent, a phoenix displayed Gules, langued Azure, in flame proper. On a chief Gules, a book expanded proper, edged and bound Or. On dexter page of book the words Crescat scientia, inscribed, three lines in pesse Sable. On sinister page the words, vita excolatur, inscribed, three lines in pesse Sable. [4]

Meaning

According to the University of Chicago, "no surviving documents make clear precisely why the phoenix was adopted as the central element on the Coat of Arms, although several possibilities have been suggested". [1] It has been hypothesized that the phoenix either signifies the "rebirth" of the University of Chicago, recalling an earlier - but unrelated - University of Chicago that existed in the city from 1856 to 1886, or it may represent the City of Chicago which was heavily damaged by the Great Chicago Fire. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tincture (heraldry)</span> Metal, colour, or fur used in heraldic design

Tincture is the limited palette of colours and patterns used in heraldry. The need to define, depict, and correctly blazon the various tinctures is one of the most important aspects of heraldic art and design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Line (heraldry)</span> In heraldry: line of division of the field or vary a charge

The lines in heraldry used to divide and vary fields and charges are by default straight, but may have many different shapes. Care must be taken to distinguish these types of lines from the use of lines as charges, and to distinguish these shapes from actual charges, such as "a mount [or triple mount] in base," or, particularly in German heraldry, different kinds of embattled from castle walls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variation of the field</span> Heraldic term

In heraldry, variations of the field are any of a number of ways that a field may be covered with a pattern, rather than a flat tincture or a simple division of the field.

Ordinaries in heraldry are sometimes embellished with stripes of colour alongside them, have lumps added to them, shown with their edges arciform instead of straight, have their peaks and tops chopped off, pushed up and down out of the usual positions, or even broken apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordinary (heraldry)</span> Basic geometric charge in heraldry

In heraldry, an ordinary is one of the two main types of charges, beside the mobile charges. An ordinary is a simple geometrical figure, bounded by straight lines and running from side to side or top to bottom of the shield. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which have been given lesser status by some heraldic writers, though most have been in use as long as the traditional ordinaries. Diminutives of ordinaries and some subordinaries are charges of the same shape, though thinner. Most of the ordinaries are theoretically said to occupy one-third of the shield; but this is rarely observed in practice, except when the ordinary is the only charge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National University of Malaysia</span> Public research university in Malaysia

The National University of Malaysia is a public research university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Its teaching hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) is located in Cheras and also has a branch campus in Kuala Lumpur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Toronto</span> Official coat of arms of the City of Toronto

The coat of arms of Toronto is a heraldic symbol used to represent the city Toronto. Designed by Robert Watt, the Chief Herald of Canada at the time, for the City of Toronto after its amalgamation in 1998. The arms were granted by the Canadian Heraldic Authority on 11 January 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Edmonton</span>

Edmonton was a local government district in north-east Middlesex, England, from 1850 to 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Denmark</span> National coat of arms of Denmark

The coat of arms of Denmark has a lesser and a greater version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rule of tincture</span> Rule of color composition in heraldic design

The rule of tincture is a design philosophy found in some heraldic traditions that states "metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour". Heraldic furs such as ermine and vair, and charges described as "proper", are generally exempt from the rule of tincture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Sierra Leone</span> National coat of arms of the Republic of Sierra Leone

The coat of arms of Sierra Leone, were developed by the College of Arms and granted in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick</span> Local government district in England

Brentford and Chiswick was a local government district of Middlesex, England from 1927 to 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Namibia</span> National coat of arms of the Republic of Namibia

The coat of arms of Namibia is the official heraldic symbol of Namibia. Introduced at the time of independence in 1990, it superseded the earlier coat of arms used by the South African administration of the territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Cape Town</span> Traditional symbol of the municipality of Cape Town

The coat of arms of Cape Town is the traditional symbol of the municipality of Cape Town. The original arms from the 20th century are no longer in official use, though no new arms have yet been adopted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blazon</span> Art of describing heraldic arms in proper terms

In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb to blazon means to create such a description. The visual depiction of a coat of arms or flag has traditionally had considerable latitude in design, but a verbal blazon specifies the essentially distinctive elements. A coat of arms or flag is therefore primarily defined not by a picture but rather by the wording of its blazon. Blazon is also the specialized language in which a blazon is written, and, as a verb, the act of writing such a description. Blazonry is the art, craft or practice of creating a blazon. The language employed in blazonry has its own vocabulary, grammar and syntax, which becomes essential for comprehension when blazoning a complex coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor</span> Charles V Coat of arms

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor was the heir of several of Europe's leading royal houses. In 1506, he inherited the Burgundian Netherlands, which came from his paternal grandmother, Mary of Burgundy. In 1516, Charles became the king of Spain, inheriting the kingdoms first united by his maternal grandparents, Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Finally, on the death of his paternal grandfather in 1519, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, he inherited the Habsburg lands in central Europe and was elected Holy Roman Emperor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pile (heraldry)</span>

In heraldry, a pile is a charge usually counted as one of the ordinaries. It consists of a wedge emerging from the upper edge of the shield and converging to a point near the base. If it touches the base, it is blazoned throughout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">39th Field Artillery Regiment</span> US military unit

The 39th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the United States Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of King's College London</span>

The coat of arms of King's College London in London, England, are blazoned: on a Pale Azure between two Lions rampant respectant Gules an Anchor Gold ensigned by a Royal Crown proper on a Chief Argent an Ancient Lamp proper inflamed Gold between two Blazing Hearths also proper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the University of Sheffield</span> Coat of arms of University of Sheffield, England

The coat of arms of the University of Sheffield is the official heraldic emblem of the University of Sheffield. It was granted by the College of Arms on 28 June 1905, one month after the university's royal charter was sealed. The coat of arms was registered as a trademark by the University of Sheffield in 1992. In 2005, the university designed a logo consisting of a simplified version of the arms; the logo, however, does not supersede the heraldic symbol.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "University Emblems". uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  2. 1 2 Robertson, David (1912). "The Phoenix and the Book". The University of Chicago Magazine. 4: 244.
  3. 1 2 3 "Logo". University Communications. University of Chicago. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  4. Robertson, David (1919). The University of Chicago: An Official Guide. Chicago University Press. p.  132.