La Rose & Music City

Proposed seal and arms for the Diocese of Nashville
produced by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose in 1932
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Some years ago, I was fascinated to learn that Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) had been commissioned for arms in the State of Tennessee.  Why?  After spending three years in graduate school/seminary in Tennessee, to find something as foreign as heraldry displayed seems, well, foreign.  Sewanee, of course, being the exception to this observation.  In fact, my research over the years has uncovered four corporate coats of arms produced by la Rose in the 1930s.

For the see of Nashville, la Rose proposed the design for a seal in the vesica format with new arms as illustrated above in 1932.  I've not encountered another Roman Catholic see whose seal is rendered in this format.  As far as I know, there is no evidence that the Diocese of Nashville adopted this particular shape, but thankfully their archives preserved la Rose's proposals and correspondence on the matter.

The vesica shaped seal with arms is widely used by dioceses in the Episcopal Church, as la Rose fashioned nearly 30 seals for Episcopal dioceses using this same format.  I do have one basilica that la Rose produced a seal with arms in the vesica shape which is still in use today. 

The Dominican Congregation of St. Cecilia, based in Nashville, worked with la Rose on a number of designs as the sisters established or took over leadership of a number of primary/secondary schools in the region.

L-R: Arms of Notre Dame High School and
the Dominican Congregation of St. Cecilia
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

The Sisters established St. Cecilia's Academy in Nashville and the school uses the undifferenced arms of the Congregation.  To the south of Music City, Chattanooga became another focal point for the Congregation and ran Notre Dame High School which still operates and uses the arms la Rose designed, though their modern branding has the entire armorial ensigns in green/white reflecting their livery colors.  I'm working with the sister in charge of the Congregation's archives as I've inquired about three more schools which appear to bear arms that are suspiciously la Rosian.  So, more to come.

If you know, please share!
This is an exact replica from la Rose's drawing.

Of interest to me and my colleagues with the American Heraldry Society, I cannot identify the sinister charge in base of the high school's arms.  What is it?  If you know, please email me at chad(dot)m(dot)krouse(at)gmail(dot)com.

La Rose's design theory and framework was very much rooted in the medieval tradition.  La Rose believed that arms for a branch of a religious community should have in base the undifferenced arms of the main order while using a chief for differencing and creating unique identification for the new branch.  Countless examples exist illustrating la Rose's faithful adherence to this rule.  With St. Cecilia's Congregation, however, we see the reverse used--its important to bear in mind that the high school's arms had been created before the congregation's request for a design.

I can offer only some guesses for this new design arrangement:  1) the gyron for the Order of Preachers is quite striking and likely presents certain design challenges, 2) St. Cecilia Congregation did request a coat of arms similar to the design rendered for Notre Dame High School, or 3) given what he had to work with to create a simple and clear coat of arms, he had no choice but to change up his framework.  Thus, the chief of the Dominican arms becomes the unifying symbol in the arms for both foundations and corporate sole and the base allows for differencing creating unique identification of the bearer.  Fascinating. 

We see other examples within the Dominican family where la Rose changed things up in order to produce clear and perspicuous heraldry.

L-R: Arms of Albertus Magnus College and the Dominican Province of St. Joseph
both designed by la Rose
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In the 1920s, la Rose produced designs for Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut and the Province of St. Joseph in New York.  Here we see la Rose placing an inescutcheon on top of the undifferenced arms of the Order of Preachers using their gyronny of eight and cross.  The visual effect creates a rather striking bordure effect--immediately you know that somehow the Dominicans factor into this corporate body!  

A foundation of the St. Cecilia's Congregation that I'm actively pursuing
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Finally, I'm going on a limb suggesting that la Rose also used the other coat of arms in the Dominican family for a foundation of St. Cecilia.  I'm currently waiting on evidence from the archives so stay tuned.  Regardless who designed these arms, I think they're lovely.

The final corporate coat is that of Father Ryan High School in Nashville founded in 1925.  The school is beginning its centennial year in 2025.  I was honored to work with the official author writing the school's history regarding la Rose's design which is to be published this year as part of the celebration.  La Rose designed the school's arms in 1931 

Seal with arms of Father Ryan High School
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

La Rose's blazon for the high school:  Gules, between a cross saltire Or, three laurel wreaths and in base a covered ciborium all Or.  The ciborium found in base is a clear reference to Father Ryan.  The seal with arms arrangement above is the typical design format la Rose used for scholastic arms--a wafer style containing a gothic quatrefoil holding the arms in center.  I've simplified his design somewhat for a modern feel.

Tennessee, after all, does have good heraldry within its borders...you just need to dig a little.