Heraldická vyobrazení v předbělohorských bohemikálních tiscích pohledem heraldika – stav a perspektivy výzkumu

Pages	75–82
DOI	10.37520/cnm.2024.008
Keywords	Heraldry, Coats of arms, Illustrations, Book culture, Book printing, 16th century
Citation	HANOUSEK, Jan. Heraldická vyobrazení v předbělohorských bohemikálních tiscích pohledem heraldika – stav a perspektivy výzkumu. Journal of the National Museum. History Series. Prague: National Museum, 2024, 193(3-4), 75–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/cnm.2024.008. ISSN 1214-0627. Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/journal-of-the-national-museum-history-series/193-3-4/heraldicka-vyobrazeni-v-predbelohorskych-bohemikalnich-tiscich-pohledem-heraldika-stav-a-perspektivy-vyzkumu

Journal of the National Museum. History Series | 2024/193/3-4

Heraldic illustration in Bohemian prints until 1620 from the perspective of a heraldist. Current status and research perspectives

The presented study first outlines the current state of documentation and analysis of book illustration featuring heraldic motifs in Bohemian prints from the incunabula period up to the year 1620. It also points out that the exi­sting research is not systematic and often lacks detailed evaluation from a heraldic perspective. In its second part, the text examines individual parameters of heraldic depictions that will need to be monitored in future research. Alongside general information about illustrations—such as the authorship of the woodblock, its use, and its possi­ble migration between printing workshops—it considers aspects arising specifically from heraldry. These include determining the type of coat of arms according to its owner (royal, territorial, municipal, noble, ecclesiastical), the function of the depiction within the book (illustration, decoration, the coat of arms of the dedicatee, place of publication, printer’s heraldic signet, etc.), the composition (depiction of the complete coat of arms or only part of it, possibly a single heraldic figure, or conversely a combination of several coats of arms in one image), and the placement of the heraldic motif (the coat of arms as the main subject of the illustration, or a heraldic element as part of a depicted object, or as an addition to a city view , map, etc.).

In the conclusion, the author emphasizes not only the need to continue the systematic documentation of heraldic depictions—including detailed and factually accurate descriptions—but also the potential for further research on the collected material.

This may involve studying heraldic imagery as a means of representation or as a commercial tool, or in some cases tracing the heraldic and stylistic development of the same coat of arms over time.

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