Wave

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; 2 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or [for Leon]; 3 Or, four pallets Gules [for Aragon]; 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert [for Navarre]; enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert [for Granada]; an inescutcheon Azure, three fleurs de lis Or, 2 and 1, a bordure Gules [for Bourbon]. Crest: A closed royal crown. Supporters: two columns Argent, capital and base Or, between in base waves Azure, in chief an imperial crown the dexter and a closed royal crown the sinister. Motto environing the columns and behind the shield: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules.

Arms painted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a iridescent finish.

Arms of the Kingdom of Spain emblazoned by me. On the arrangement of the crowns: a) Royal Decree 1511/1977, of 21 January, enacted during the so-called Transition and approving the Regulations on Flags and Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Distinctive Signs, states: «Rule No. 2. Coat of Arms of Spain… Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one…». b) The subsequent Law 33/1981, of 5 October, regulating the current coat of arms of Spain, likewise states: «…Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one». c) The term «superado» in the heraldic dictionaries in which it appears refers, as a synonym, to «surmontado». d) The definitions of «surmontado» include: «a charge which, at its upper part, has another above it but without touching it», «also said of superado», and «a figure that bears another above it, but without touching it». In light of a), b), c) and d), the two crowns should therefore be painted not touching the columns. However, in the illustrative drawing contained in Royal Decree 1511/1977 the crowns do touch the columns, contradicting its own wording, although in heraldry, when in doubt, the written blazon always prevails; and in most official representations the crowns do indeed touch the columns. Nevertheless, this personal interpretation of both the coat of arms of Spain and of the proper way to write its blazon, where the lateral crowns do not touch the columns, and then I decide that, following the same criterion, the central crown should not touch the shield either, so the result differs from the official version. The expression «waves Azure or blue and Argent», which appears both in the 1977 official definition and in the 1981 one, presents a double peculiarity: it combines the heraldic term «Azure» with the everyday term «blue», and it is also offered as an optional blazon, giving two alternatives, that the waves be only Azure, as I have painted them, or Azure and Argent; optional blazons are extremely rare and, in my view, perhaps not very advisable.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, Argent, One, Two, Three, Four, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Slipped, Leaved, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Bordure, Closed royal crown, Crown, Supporter (thing), Supporter, Column, Shafted, Between, In base, Wave, In chief, Imperial crown, Dexter, Sinister, Motto, Environed, Behind the shield and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Iridescent.

Classification: Civic, Kingdom of Spain, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Spain, Kingdom of.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias]. Crest: Upon a helm in profile Argent, with visor bars Or, and a wreath Or and Azure, an arm proper, vested Azure, lined Or, supporting a scroll Azure doubled Or, inscribed with the cry «Notre Dame du Puy» Or. Mantling: Azure doubled Or.

Arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finish.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Eighteen, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate, Inescutcheon, Escutcheon, In cross, In saltire, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony, Vair, Upon (wreath), Helm, Facing dexter, Barred, Wreath, Arm, Proper, Vested, Lined, Grasping, Scroll, Doubled, Inscribed, War cry and Mantling.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, Fernando.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon Azure, five fleurs de lis Or.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o de gules, un palo de oro sostenido de seis ondas de azur y plata, una bordura de oro cargada de ocho cabezas de león arrancadas de gules [de Durán]; 2^o de azur, un creciente ranversado de plata, en la diestra del jefe una flor de lis de oro, una bordura de gules [de Alpoim]; 3^o de plata, dos cabras en palo de púrpura, acornadas de sable [de Cabral]; 4^o de gules, una cruz doble y plena de oro cantonada de seis bezantes de plata, una bordura de oro [de Melo]; un escusón de azur, cinco flores de lis de oro.

Coat of arms interpreted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, and with a freehand finish.

Arms of the cadet branches of Fernando Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, certified by Dr. Alfonso Ceballos-Escalera Gila, Chronicler of Arms of Castile and León, and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate and Inescutcheon.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, cadet branches of Fernando.

Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules.

Escudo de gules, un palo de oro sostenido de seis ondas de azur y plata, una bordura de oro cargada de ocho cabezas de león arrancadas de gules.

Coat of arms depicted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finish.

Coat of arms of the lineage Durán. This coat of arms has been created for Fernando Durán Cabral de Mello d’Alpoim as a preparatory work for his armorial bearings where the arms of Durán are in the 1^st quarter.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Six, Eight, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head and Erased.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán, lineage.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias]. Crest: Upon a helm in profile Argent, with visor bars Or, and a wreath Or and Azure, an arm proper, vested Azure, lined Or, supporting a scroll Azure doubled Or, inscribed with the cry «Notre Dame du Puy» Or. Mantling: Azure doubled Or. Suspended from the shield, the cross of the Royal Equestrian and Military Order of Saint Michael of the Wing.

Coat of arms depicted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finishing.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Eighteen, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate, Inescutcheon, Escutcheon, In cross, In saltire, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony, Vair, Upon (wreath), Helm, Facing dexter, Barred, Wreath, Arm, Proper, Vested, Lined, Grasping, Scroll, Doubled, Inscribed, War cry, Mantling, Suspended from the shield and Decoration.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, Fernando.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a pale Or upon six waves Azure and Argent, a bordure Or charged with eight lions' heads erased Gules [for Durán]; 2 Azure, a crescent reversed Argent, in dexter chief a fleur de lis Or, a bordure Gules [for Alpoim]; 3 Argent, two goats in pale Purpure, horned Sable [for Cabral]; 4 Gules, a double cross throughout Or cantoned by six plates, a bordure Or [for Melo]; an inescutcheon Azure, five fleurs de lis Or. Crest: Upon a helm in profile Argent, with visor bars Or, and a wreath Or and Azure, an arm proper, vested Azure, lined Or, supporting a scroll Azure doubled Or, inscribed with the cry «Notre Dame du Puy» Or. Mantling: Azure doubled Or.

Arms depicted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finish.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, One, Two, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Quarterly, Pale, Upon, Wave, Bordure, Charged, Lion, Head, Erased, Crescent, Reversed, In the dexter chief, Fleur de lis, Goat, In pale, Horned, Double cross throughout, Cantoned, Plate, Inescutcheon, Upon (wreath), Helm, Facing dexter, Barred, Wreath, Arm, Proper, Vested, Lined, Grasping, Scroll, Doubled, Inscribed, War cry and Mantling.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Lineage, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Durán Cabral de Melo e Alpoim, cadet branches of Fernando.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or; 3 Or, four pallets Gules; 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert; enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert; an inescutcheon Azure, three fleurs de lis Or, 2 and 1, a bordure Gules. Crest: A closed royal crown. Supporters: two columns Argent, capital and base Or, between in base waves Azure, in chief an imperial crown the dexter and a closed royal crown the sinister. Motto environing the columns and behind the shield: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules.

Arms of the Kingdom of Spain. This image combines three photographs of this coat of arms on the façade of the Ministry of Defence building on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, just a few metres from my office, together with my own artistic interpretation of the same arms. In the version on the façade of the Ministry of Defence, the crowns above the columns do not touch the columns, which I believe is the correct way to depict them, although the central crown does appear to rest upon the shield of Spain. There are more interpretations that place the crowns resting on the columns than those that do not, and I photographed this particular version from the Ministry of Defence because it is especially relevant due to its size and institutional significance. On the arrangement of the crowns: a) Royal Decree 1511/1977, of 21 January, enacted during the so-called Transition and approving the Regulations on Flags and Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Distinctive Signs, states: «Rule No. 2. Coat of Arms of Spain… Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one…». b) The subsequent Law 33/1981, of 5 October, regulating the current coat of arms of Spain, likewise states: «…Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one». c) The term «superado» in the heraldic dictionaries in which it appears refers, as a synonym, to «surmontado». d) The definitions of «surmontado» include: «a charge which, at its upper part, has another above it but without touching it», «also said of superado», and «a figure that bears another above it, but without touching it». In light of a), b), c) and d), the two crowns should therefore be painted not touching the columns. However, in the illustrative drawing contained in Royal Decree 1511/1977 the crowns do touch the columns, contradicting its own wording, although in heraldry, when in doubt, the written blazon always prevails; and in most official representations the crowns do indeed touch the columns. Nevertheless, this personal interpretation of both the coat of arms of Spain and of the proper way to write its blazon, where the lateral crowns do not touch the columns, and then I decide that, following the same criterion, the central crown should not touch the shield either, so the result differs from the official version.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, Argent, One, Two, Three, Four, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Slipped, Leaved, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Bordure, Closed royal crown, Crown, Supporter (thing), Supporter, Column, Shafted, Between, In base, Wave, In chief, Imperial crown, Dexter, Sinister, Motto, Environed, Behind the shield and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Semi-circular.

Classification: Civic, Kingdom of Spain, Interpreted, Boa, Photographic and Collage.

Bearer: Spain, Kingdom of.

Party per fess: 1 party per pale: 1 quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or [for Leon]. 2 quarterly: 1 Or, four pallets Gules [for Aragon]; 2 quarterly per saltire: 1 and 4 Or, four pallets Gules; 2 and 3 Argent, an eagle displayed Sable [for Aragon-Sicily]. 3 Argent, a cross potent cantoned of four crosslets Or [for Jerusalem]. 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert [for Navarre]. Enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert [for Granada]. 2 quarterly: 1 Gules, a fess Argent [for Austria]; 2 Azure semé of fleurs de lis Or within a bordure compony Argent and Gules [for Burgundy modern]; 3 bendy Or and Azure within a bordure Gules [for Burgundy ancient]; 4 Sable, a lion rampant Or, armed and langued Gules [for Brabant]; overall an inescutcheon party per pale: 1 Or, a lion rampant Sable, armed and langued Gules [for Flanders]; 2 Argent, an eagle displayed Gules, crowned, armed, beaked, langued and membered Or, charged on the wings with two trefoiled stems Or [for Tyrol]. Crest: An imperial crown with two fanons Argent, fringed Or. Behind the shield a double-headed eagle displayed Sable, nimbed, beaked and armed Or, langued and membered Gules, enfiled by an open royal crown above the shield. Supporters: two columns Argent between in base waves Azure, in chief an imperial crown the dexter and a closed royal crown the sinister. Moto environing the columns: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules. The shield is surrounded by the Golden Fleece.

Coat of arms depicted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Arms of Charles, Holy Roman Emperor, emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Sable, Argent, Purpure, Or, Vert, One, Two, Four, Party per fess, Party per pale, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crowned, Pale, Quarterly per saltire, Eagle, Displayed, Cross potent, Cross couped, Cantoned, Crosslet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Seeded, Slipped, Leaved, Fess, Semé, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Bendy, Overall, Inescutcheon, Beaked, Membered, Wing, Trefoiled, Stem, Crest, Imperial crown, Crown, Fanon, Fringed, Behind the shield, Double-headed, Nimbed, Enfiled, Open royal crown, Above the shield, Supporter (thing), Supporter, Column, Shafted, Between, In base, Wave, In chief, Dexter, Closed royal crown, Sinister, Motto, Environed, Scroll, Surrounded and Collar.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Two columns Argent, capital and base Or, above waves Azure. Moto environing the columns: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules.

It has been painted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a metal beaten finish.

The Pillars of Hercules of the arms of Charles, Holy Roman Emperor, emblazoned by me. Esta composición ha sido diseñada deliberadamente para que el conjunto completo pueda inscribirse en un cuadrado perfecto, facilitando así su equilibrio visual y su uso como emblema o signo autónomo.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Argent, Or, One, Two, Column, Shafted, Above, Wave, Motto, Environed and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Metal beaten.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted and Boa.

Bearer: Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.