Some Recent Emblazonments

Coat of arms, St. Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, WI, designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Lots going on as spring is proving to be rather busy.  I want to quickly share a few emblazonments that I recently completed.  As a true novice messing around with digital artwork, I sincerely appreciate how Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) reuses certain base charges throughout his heraldic work.

Regarding the arms of St. Francis de Sales Seminary (seen above), I sent multiple file versions to the school in appreciation for their assistance in my research.  Likewise, I did the same for the arms of St. John's Cathedral (seen below) and the rector was most appreciative.  It feels good to keep these works of art alive!  Enjoy.

Coat of arms, the American Heraldry Society.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, St. John's Cathedral and Parish, Quincy, IL designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, the Archdiocese of Chicago designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, the Archdiocese of Baltimore designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, Father Ryan Catholic High School, Nashville, TN designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, the St. George's Society of New York, devisal by the College of Arms.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Coat of arms, Mundelein College (now closed) in Chicago, IL designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The Heraldry of England's Nazareth

The arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham. 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

During the Pandemic, I wrote a bit about the heraldry identifying "England's Nazareth," that holiest of places in England where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Lady Richeldis.  Please click here to read my post on these arms.  As I continue to dabble in digital design, I thought it would be best to render the arms of the name of this blog's dedication.  More to point, I've never encountered a digital emblazonment for Walsingham and I rather liked the challenge to see what I could do.  

The arms of the Priory of Walsingham circa 1510 based on records indicating the blazon.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The emblazonment above is the earliest known coat from the Augustinian priory established in Walsingham.  The simple and clear arms are blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five lilies slipped and seeded proper.

In 1945, a grant of arms was made to the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady Walsingham based on the historic coat borne by the Augustinians, albeit differenced of course.  Please click here to read more about the College's grant.  The College of Arms design is blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five lilies slipped and seeded proper, on a canton Azure a holy house Or.

The biggest challenge in pulling these arms together is the image of the Holy House.  From the image below of the complete achievement (crest, arms, motto), I was able to get a basic sense of the layout and proportion, after all heraldic charges need not have too much detail.  And so I was able to render my own version of the Holy House following the spirit of the emblazonment above.  Naturally I had to render a proper banner of arms for the College.

Banner of arms (or armorial flag) for the College of Guardians.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

However, there are regulations for ecclesiastical flags laid down in the Earl Marshal's Warrant of 1938.  Thus, I've rendered this design based on a photograph I found.

Flag arranged based on the 1937 Earl Marshal's Warrant concerning flag design in the Church of England.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Finally, this post would not be complete without the arms of the Shrine's Restorer, The Rev. A. Hope Patten (1885-1958) after his bookplate.

The arms of the Shrine's Restorer, The Rev. A. Hope Patten (1885-1958) after an emblazonment on his bookplate.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Some Recent Shield Work

The arms of St. George's School (RI) designed by la Rose.  
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

I figured my rectangular-flag-shaped world needed some spice, and so we're now moving (albeit slowly) into proper shields.  Here are a few of my latest attempts.

The arms of Lancaster Catholic High School (PA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The coat of arms of Brooks School (MA) designed around 1932, a suspiciously la Rosian design.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Vincent Archabbey (PA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Mary's Abbey (NJ) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Harvard University.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of the Episcopal Church designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of St. Edward's Seminary (WA) designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of The Catholic University of America designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The former arms of Harvard Law designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Harvard Business School designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of former Calhoun College at Yale, both name and arms have since been retired by the university.  Designed by la Rose.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

A few arms not designed by la Rose:

The arms of Kenyon College in Ohio designed by The Rev. Canon Watson in 1908.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

The arms of Bexley Hall Seminary which was under Kenyon College in Ohio.  Designed by The Rev. Canon Watson in 1908.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024

The arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham, granted by the College of Arms in 1945.  Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Endangered No More: The Arms of St. Edward's Seminary

St. Edward's Seminary in Kenmore, WA.
Photo:  Wikipedia.

When my research on Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) commenced in 2014, an internet search uncovered a blog post on the arms of St. Edward's Seminary located in Kenmore, WA.  I was so intrigued that I wrote my own blog post.  To read an early article on the arms of St. Edward's Seminary, please click this link.  The brief article by the Friends of St. Edward State Park detailed important information regarding the coat of arms la Rose designed for the seminary in 1931, along with his line drawing of the arms.

Jointly operated in 1930 by the Archdiocese of Seattle (then it was a diocese) and the Society of the Priests of St. Sulpice, the seminary trained clergy until its doors closed in 1976.  The property is now a state park and the physical building is now something of a resort destination.  The Lodge occupies the former seminary offering luxury amenities.  If only those walls could talk...

Line drawing of the new arms for St. Edward's Seminary by la Rose in 1931.  I've spent time cleaning up the image as the original was quite bad.

During the passage of time, the Friends blog has since been replaced and the article lost.  I am so thankful that I captured the data when I did.  The blog article from August 31, 2013 shares a letter from la Rose detailing his rationale for the seminary's new design along with a line drawing of the arms as seen above.  Usually, la Rose sends these letters directly to corporate sole, and in this case it would have been Bishop Edward John O'Dea (1856-1932): 

The coat of arms of St. Edward's Seminary
designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

"Saint Edward himself has a very beautiful coat ascribed him by the medieval heralds-apocryphal, of course, as he lived before the rise of personal heraldry, but still, an actual emblem which he used on his coinage: a cross with five martlets.  This in conjunction with the Sulpician emblem, I shall make the basis of a carefully studied design.

"The arms ascribed to Saint Edward by the early heralds consist of a gold cross and five gold 'martlets' on a blue field.  The shapes and arrangement are the same as in my own drawing.  We may not use this coat unaltered, for to do so would imply, heraldically, that St. Edward was the Founder of the Seminary, instead of being simply its Patron.  I have therefore changed the coloring from blue and gold to red and silver - the colors of the diocesan arms. As for St. Edward's cross and martlets, they appear, as I think I told you, on his coins.  The significance of the birds I do not know, nor does anyone else.  In heraldry they are always shown as having no feet visible. 

"On the Sulpician 'inescutcheon' you will note the crescent (of the Immaculate Conception) which distinguishes the American house of the society from the French" (La Rose letter to Bishop Edward O'Dea, February 13, 1931).

And that's all the information we have regarding these arms.  There's no blazon, much less any colored emblazonments to be found--I know.  The archives of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Associated Sulpicians of the United States Archives have the letter and line drawing but nothing else.  

The armorial flag or banner of arms for the Archdiocese of Seattle.  La Rose designed the arms in 1919 and the colors of red (Gules) and silver/white (Argent) form the color scheme for the seminary's coat. Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

La Rose never referred to himself as a herald per se, but he did identify as an archeologist.  It does seem a bit strange given his educational background in English, regardless his designs were informed by human history, the past.  To dig up the past in order to create present-day identification--the sole purpose of heraldry--was la Rose's calling in a sense and his letters to clients reflect the seriousness he approached this task.  

In every design, la Rose meticulously researched the corporate body, or the individual's familial background, taking into consideration all known data to render clear and perspicuous coats of arms.  St. Edward's Seminary is no exception to his keen sense of creatively bringing the past into the present through the abstract language of heraldry.   

The coat of arms of St. Edward's Seminary designed by la Rose.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As a heraldic researcher, I see my task as preserving la Rose's legacy through sharing and education.  I was deeply concerned that his design of arms for St. Edward's Seminary was endangered of being erased, and I wanted to ensure that would not happen.  Thus I've taken liberties to digitally render these arms myself, however elementary the emblazonments may appear, to ensure posterity of the design. 

The armorial flag or banner of arms of St. Edward's Seminary.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

As far as I know, this may well be the first time these arms have ever been seen both digitally and in color.  The blazon I give for la Rose's design is:  Gules, on a cross floury Argent an escutcheon Azure charged with the Badge of the Society of Saint Sulpice in the United States between five martlets all Argent.  This blazon makes the most logical sense given la Rose's description in the letter even though we do not know the tincture for the Sulpician shield, blue seems appropriate.

Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Because I love armorial flags, I've laid out la Rose's design in this format.  I rather prefer the flag to the shield, as the martlets present so many challenges within the confines of the shield's shape for balance and symmetry.

I know of several additional designs by la Rose that equally face eradication.  As so many of those institutions bearing arms by la Rose closed towards the end of the 20th century, their muniments have been scattered or simply disappeared altogether.  I know of one such case for a college where literally everything has vanished!  So, I have my work cut out; I love the thrill of hunting down his designs as I know there must be hundreds buried and in need of some digging.  

It's my sincere hope that the arms of St. Edward's Seminary can now be shared and la Rose's design appreciated more widely.  It's a lovely design with clear identification and meaning created by the master.

Some Recent Ecclesiastical Flags

In honor of the today being the Feast of the Resurrection, I'm sharing a few emblazonments that I recently completed from Pierre de Chaignon la Rose's (1872-1941) portfolio.  I was working on a study of armorial flags, or banners of arms.  I find that I learn best when actively practicing something--getting one's hands dirty, so to speak.

While I am no means a digital heraldic artist, it is rewarding to see these flags come to life.  I dare say many of these arms la Rose designed never became armorial flags, and I relish the challenge to create something new from something old.  Rendering the arms of the Archdiocese of Seattle was rather interesting and I learned a few new tricks.  Enjoy!

The Episcopal Church.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Richmond (Virginia).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Cincinnati (OH).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Seattle.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Mary's Abbey (Benedictine), Morristown, NJ.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

St. Vincent's Archabbey (Benedictine), Latrobe, PA.
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Springfield (IL).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Portland (OR).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lincoln (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Archdiocese of Omaha (NE).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Diocese of Lead (now Rapid City).
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2024.

Muddy Waves for Brookline: A Case Study in Unification of Arms by la Rose

Ex Libris of Brookline Public Library located in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from the Author's private collection.

Several years ago, I happened upon a most unusual find created by Pierre de Chaignon la Rose (1872-1941) for Brookline Public Library in Brookline, Massachusetts.  While la Rose is widely known for his ecclesiastical heraldic work, finding artifacts relating to his civic heraldry is quite rare.  La Rose designed the seal for the library working with Richard Clipston Sturgis (1860-1951) who was the architect for building.  Completed in 1910, Sturgis incorporated into the eastern facade of the building la Rose's seal for the library (Trustees of Brookline Public Library, 1911, 363).  For additional background and context relating to the arms of Brookline Public Library, please click here.    

A close up image of the arms from the ex libris.

Recently, I purchased an ex libris containing la Rose's design for the library--I was thrilled to have a clear image of this simple coat.  Based on the heraldic hatching of the arms, the blazon for the arms of Brookline Public Library is: Gules, an open book edged with three clasps Or inscribed Sapientia Legendo and in base barry wavy Argent and Sable.  

After I wrote my analysis back in 2020, I believed that was all that could be mentioned about these arms.  Until now.

A Muddy River

We know, based on collected data, that la Rose maintained a strict adherence to design schemes for those charges and layouts for arms.  In other words, once he determined how a charge should be rendered, generally speaking, he kept to the design.  Moreover, once he settled on how he would geographically identify a given coat of arms, he would maintain that design in order to illustrate unification with those coats.

La Rose never referred to himself as a herald, per se, likely knowing full well the title carried more than simply designing coats of arms.  Rather, la Rose saw himself as an "archeologist," and embraced this title through his heraldic work by incorporating critical elements from the past in new corporate arms for unique identification.  Brookline is no exception to his keen sense of that calling.

Prior to its official incorporation in 1705, the town of Brookline was known as "Muddy River."  It is highly likely the black and white lines of barry wavy are la Rose's method of referencing Brookline's history.  In the absence of any correspondence or rationale for Brookline Public Library, the design reference matches scores of examples in my data of how the designer would illustrate local history in corporate arms.  For example, the City of Boston was once known as "Tremontinensis," and from this la Rose used the trimount as a symbolic reference for geographical identification (la Rose, 1911, 5). 

Two Newly Discovered Arms

As my research progressed, I discovered two additional coats of arms for corporate bodies located in Brookline and these findings simply astounded me.  Ironically, I found these arms on my birthday, and I quietly said "thank you," to both la Rose and the heraldic gods up above!  Just when I believed to have la Rose figured out, something new emerges keeping me alert and on my toes. 

From a careful review of yearbooks from Roman Catholic schools in Massachusetts, I randomly stumbled on St. Mary of the Assumption High School located in Brookline.  Yearbooks are a rich source for scanning academic seals and coats of arms.  Inside the school's 1941 yearbook Assumpta, I found two seals containing arms for the school and its sponsoring parish.  In both sets, the black and white lines of barry wavy are present along with additional charges for identification and unification.

A disclaimer.  As is usually the case with these artifacts, very little evidence exists to corroborate the designer, the blazon, or even the date of creation.  For this reason alone, I constructed what I call the "Krouse Method," for using existing data to inform my attribution to la Rose.  To learn more about the Krouse Method for data informed attribution, please click here. 

The seal and arms of the Parish of St. Mary Assumption Roman Catholic Church located in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from St. Mary of the Assumption High School (1941), p.7.

Here we find a very rare example of la Rose designing arms for a parish church, as I have but only a couple in my data of more than 250 designs for corporate arms.  

The seal and arms for the Parish of St. Mary of the Assumption are striking, simple, and clear.  Based on the heraldic hatching in the image above, the arms can be blazoned:  Azure, a six pointed mulllet Argent ensigned by an ancient coronet Or and issuing from base barry wavy Argent and Sable a trimount Or. 

Each design component within the parish's arms provides important symbolism for identifying the church.  The blue field, star, and ancient coronet represent the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The trimount in base identifies the parish as one within the Archdiocese of Boston, and the black and white barry wavy geographically places the community within Brookline.  Finally, the arms are set within la Rose's classic gothic quatrefoil seal wafer surrounded with the legend in Latin using Lombardic font.  Who else, I dare ask, could render in such a simple and clear manner arms bursting with meaning and identification? 

The seal and arms of St. Mary of the Assumption High School located
in Brookline, Massachusetts.  Image is from St. Mary of the Assumption
High School (1941), page 20.   

The arms of the school carry forward several design elements from those found in the parish's coat.  First, the color of the field and the ancient coronet show unification with the parish as well as symbolizing the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The black and white barry wavy lines geographically locate the school in Brookline.  While I cannot find the citation at the moment, I did read the parish's territory was dedicated to St. Joseph, thus both the chevron rendered as a carpenter's square and three Madonna lilies provide additional geographical identification.  

Based on the heraldic hatching for St. Mary of the Assumption High School, the blazon is:  Azure, issuing from base barry wavy Argent and Sable three Madonna lilies conjoined and seeded Argent enfiled by an ancient coronet and overall a chevron rendered as a carpenter's square Or.

Two Religious Congregations 

Diving deeper into the background surrounding the arms of the high school reveals a bit of a mystery in terms of la Rose's possible referencing within his design.  We find two religious congregations involved at the school.  In the beginning, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were invited to run--what I believe the history shows--the elementary school in Brookline.  According to Oates (1978), this congregation was not terribly keen on teaching boys, and so it appears the elementary school was strictly for girls (p. 662).

In 1924, however, things changed.  The parish decided to open a co-educational high school and needed new teachers willing and able to help, and the Sisters of St. Joseph from the Boston Congregation filled the void (Oates, 1978, 664).  If 1924 was the year in which St. Mary of the Assumption High School opened, then it's likely la Rose's use of the conjoined Madonna lilies and chevron as a carpenter's square was referencing the Boston Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph.  Since it appears that the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur had no involvement with the high school, then, the reference to the Boston Congregation makes perfect sense.  

The supporting evidence for this theory can be found three years prior to the school's opening.  In 1921, la Rose designed the Boston Congregation's arms and blazoned them: Azure, issuing from a vase Or in base three flowering lilies Argent, overall a chevron rendered as a carpenter's square Or and on a chief Sable three crowns composed of alternate crosses patty and fleurs-de-lis Or.  I still struggle to rationalize the ancient coronet in the school's arms, perhaps a nod to the crowns in chief from the Sisters' arms, or a charge for unification from the parish's arms?  My take:  the coronet is referencing the parish given la Rose's prominent placement in both arms.  However, its truly anyone's guess.

As the research stands for now, I believe it's highly possible that la Rose designed both the arms for the Parish of St. Mary of the Assumption and its high school around 1924.

After working with the archivist from the Boston Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, I believe neither the school or the parish know these beautiful designs by la Rose exist.  I hope, possibly, to help bring these back to life for them.  

So, a muddy river shall unite them all.

Works Cited

La Rose, Pierre de C. (1911).  The arms of his Eminence Cardinal Gibbons. The Ecclesiastical Review, 5(45), pp. 2-11. 

Oates, M.J. (1978). Organized voluntarism: The Catholic sisters in Massachusetts, 1870-1940.  American Quarterly, 30(5), pp. 652-680.

St. Mary of the Assumption High School. (1941).  Assumpta.  St. Mary of the Assumption High School.

Trustees of Brookline Public Library. (1911).  The fifty-fourth annual report of the trustees of the public library of Brookline for the year ending December 31, 1910.  Grimes Press, 363.