Heraldry: An Introduction to a Noble Tradition

by Michel Pastoureau

Well-written, loaded with information, and with a rich assortment of illustrations, each Discoveries "RM" volume is a look at one facet of art, archaeology, music, history, philosophy, popular culture, science, or nature. These innovatively designed, affordably priced, compact paperbacks bring ideas to life and amplify our understanding of civilization in a new way.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Art, Reference, Cultural, Medieval

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Pastoureau was born in Paris on 17 June 1947. He studied at the École Nationale des Chartes, a college for prospective archivists and librarians. After writing his 1972 thesis about heraldic bestiaries in the Middle Ages, he worked in the coins, medals and antiquities department of the French National Library until 1982.
Since 1983 he has held the Chair of History of Western Symbolism (Chaire d'histoire de la symbolique occidentale) and is a director of studies at the Sorbonne's École pratique des hautes études. He is an academician of the Académie internationale d'héraldique (International Academy of Heraldry) and vice-president of the Société française d'héraldique (French Heraldry Society). When he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Lausanne in 1996, he was described as an eminent scholar who has made a radical contribution to several disciplines.
Professor Pastoureau has published widely, including work on the history of colours, animals, symbols, and the Knights of the Round Table. He has also written on emblems and heraldry, as well as sigillography and numismatics.

Reviews

[Matteo Mazzoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un saggio breve e conciso, ma che è ottimo per entrare nel mondo affascinante quanto a volte nebuloso di un'arte (a tutti gli effetti) come l'araldica. Dalle radici storiche alle implicazioni sociali, dai significati reconditi dei colori sino alla simbologia tutt'ora attuale, Pastoureau ci racconta la storia delle Armi con semplicità e precisione, invogliandoci ad andare a scavare ancora di più, incuriosendo il lettore anche con brillanti paragoni con il nostro mondo contemporaneo. Forse, speravo fosse ancora più approfondito, ma come detto è uno stimolo a cercare ancora.

[Michael P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew very little about heraldry and wanted to get an idea of its broad outline, evolution, and meaning. This book gave me more than I wanted, really, but that is not a fault. The main faults are a certain dullness in the translation and images that are too small, a problem endemic in this series.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

straight to the point, well illustrated book.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to Heraldry and a lot of pictures, a fun little mini-book.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent intro, beautifully illustrated.

[John Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to th subject, and as ever the selection of illustrations in this series is wonderful.

[Alan Tsuei · Rating 3 out of 5]

視覺思考是人類的天性，在文字出現前，圖像與色彩就已經大量出現在洞穴壁畫與石器陶器之上，簡單的色彩和圖示就是區分彼此展現自己的最好工具，隨著部族、政權與國家的出現加大豐富了這種行為，紋章與家徽就是這種文化下的副產物，複雜的社會與歷史的傳承使得這些小玩意附加上了許許多多的涵義與故事，事過境遷後，我們可以發思古幽情，用其來反推早年人們的社會文化與風俗習慣，再用其來與時下的文創相結合，讓老靈魂進入新世代的人們的世界中吧…

[Zoey · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I find this subject fascinating, but the text was very dry and the book hard to get through (as evidenced by the year and a half it took me to read 120 pages). Wonderful photos and illustrations.

[Kevin de Ataíde]

A tiny introduction to European heraldry, with an emphasis on how it has evolved into today's symbols, logos and emblems. An interesting and short read.

[Andrea Nicora · Rating 3 out of 5]

È davvero una brevissima introduzione che aggiunge poco - a parte il capitolo sui mon giapponesi.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adequate.

[VAUQUIER Dominique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Très belle introduction, dans le style de la collection Découvertes, et avec la profondeur de vue de Michel Pastoureau.
Non seulement, cet opuscule nous fournit les clefs d'interprétation des blasons, mais il récapitule l'invention et l'évolution de la "science héraldique", et prolonge le sujet - audacieusement - vers la sémiotique.
À la place des dix pages de glossaire, par ordre alphabétique, on aurait préféré une présentation des termes dans une structure thématique : partitions, émaux, figures... mais ceci, sans doute, pour un autre ouvrage.

[WaldenOgre · Rating 3 out of 5]

这本书啊，纯粹是图片好看，文字部分实在乏善可陈。

[Myriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Le blason est la clé de l’Histoire. » Et l’héraldique semble être un jeu d’enfant.
A lire absolument même par simple curiosité.

[twinvi3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5