Metalwork

Royal Spanish Academy, emblem

Emblemb Argent, a crucible Argent, enflamed and on a bonfire hoguera Gules and Or. Crest: A closed royal crown Or, with eight arches, visible five. Motto around the shield: «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor» Or over a scroll Azure, fimbriated Or.

Emblema de plata, un crisol de plata, llameante y sumado a una hoguera de gules y oro. Timbrado de una corona real cerrada. Lema alrededor del escudo: «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor» de oro sobre una filacteria de azur, perfilada de oro.

Painted by me with a metalwork finish, with an oval shape.

The Royal Spanish Academy was founded in 1713 on the initiative of Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco, eighth Marquess of Villena and Duke of Escalona, with the aim of «fixing the words and vocabulary of the Castilian language in its greatest propriety, elegance, and purity». A year later, in 1714, its creation was approved by a Royal Decree of Philip V.

To symbolize its purpose, its emblem with a crucible to the fire and its motto «Limpia, fija y da esplendor» [Zamora Vicente, A.; 1999] were chosen by secret ballot. In some old versions of this emblem the motto can be read with the term «fixa» and a comma before the conjunction, that is, «Limpia, fixa, y da esplendor».

This article is illustrated with my personal interpretation of this emblem of the Royal Spanish Academy, crested with a closed royal crown of 8 arches, of which the 5 frontal ones are completely visible.

In this, as in any of my works, I always consult its dictionaries, almost as much, as the most interesting and specific works on the subject of study.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Argent, One, Crucible, Enflamed, Bonfire, Gules, Or, Closed royal crown, Crown, Motto, Within, Scroll, Azure and Fimbriated.