What better place to present an exhibition on coats of arms? At the Château d’Ecouen (Val-d’Oise), which was the residence of the constable Anne de Montmorency (1493-1567), commander-in-chief of the armies of François Iis and Henry II, they are everywhere. On the sculpted facade of the semi-royal 16th century buildinge century and, inside, on the gold-painted paneling, the earthenware tiles emblazoned like stained glass… Not to mention the rich collection of decorative art housed in the National Museum of the Renaissance, installed here since 1969, including many pieces bear the acronyms and emblems of those who owned them.
Thierry Crépin-Leblond, director and co-curator: “At the time, the coat of arms was the identity card, the way we wanted to present ourselves”
Appeared in XIIe century on the battlefields, the heraldic ornament then had the function of allowing the identification of the one who protected himself under heavy armour: the combatant wears the coat of arms of the lord or the chief. During the Renaissance, its use was extended to all layers of society, its symbolism refined. From the innkeeper to the cobbler, from the knight to the king, everyone is displayed through a choice of symbols, colors, currencies, inscriptions. “At the time, the coat of arms was the identity card, the way we wanted to present ourselvesemphasizes Thierry Crépin-Leblond, director of the museum and co-curator of the exhibition. The habit has continued until today in the commercial field, as illustrated by the logos and advertising formulas that accompany most brands. »
There will be no coats of arms of the “lower class” in the exhibition – many of the tradesmen’s coats of arms have moreover disappeared, as they were made on perishable materials. The choice was made to present only works of art from the museum’s collections or, for two thirds, on loan from various French establishments (Louvre Museum, Cluny Museum, Château de Fontainebleau, Army Museum, etc. ). Thierry Crépin-Leblond regrets having had to give up loans from European institutions, “because of the costs which have doubled” – increased cost of transport and wood used to make the boxes.
Educational device
Around a hundred pieces have been brought together – sculptures, paintings, tapestries, stained glass, goldsmithery – illustrating the diversity of heraldry and the inventiveness of Renaissance artists and craftsmen in this field. If everyone is then free to imagine what they want to define themselves, it is a question of not copying the coat of arms of another. Heralds-at-arms (under the feudal regime, officers responsible in particular for solemn publications and important messages) had the task of ensuring that there was no illegitimate appropriation.
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