monogram
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Mark Twain's monogram on the cover of the 1896 edition of "The American Claimant"
A monogram was originally understood to be a single letter. In the course of time, the term was used to denote artistically designed letters that were joined together to form a symbol.
Delimitations
- The most frequently used type of monogram is the interconnected design of the first letters of the first and last name as a name sign .
- The first examples date from the 5th century BC. The Christ monogram (Chi / Rho), which has been used since pre-Constantine times, is the best-known monogram and one of the oldest Christian symbols.
- These graphic symbols have been used on documents from the Middle Ages and the early modern period since Charlemagne . On papal documents since Leo IX. the greeting Bene valete (“Farewell”) is shown as a monogram. Further applications are the markings placed on seals, coins, components, portal crowns, boundary stones and the like instead of a coat of arms, which indicate the client and owner.
- From the Biedermeier period until the 1930s, monograms were considered a symbol of a cultivated way of life. In the household, bed and underwear, tablecloths and napkins, bags and suitcases were marked with monograms as ownership symbols. This avoids mix-ups when washing and hot ironing .
- The student circle is a special sign that connections use as a mark.
- Monograms are used to sign works of art . If this signature cannot be assigned to persons, they will be listed as monogramists .
- Coin engravers , medalists and die cutters use name symbols or the name of the artist to identify the authorship by means of a signature .
- The amalgamation of two or more letters to form ligatures for printing is also used as name signs: ligated monograms.
- Silver stamps are impressions made of silver on devices and showpieces. Porcelain , pewter and fittings brands are related analogously .
Mirror monogram
Especially since the 18th century, monograms by nobles have often been designed as mirror monograms . The initials are doubled and interlaced in mirror image. Most of the examples of these emblems, which are particularly ornamental and decorative due to their symmetry, come from the feudal world. The most famous of the not too common bourgeois mirror monograms is the seal image designed by Johann Sebastian Bach for himself.
literature
- John Castagno: Old Masters. Signatures and Monograms, 1400-born 1800 . Scarecrow, Lanham MD 1996, ISBN 0-8108-3082-5 .
- Otto C. Flämig: Monograms on coins, medals, brands, symbols and certificates . 3rd greatly expanded and revised edition, Gietl, Regenstauf 2003, ISBN 3-924861-78-1 .
- Viktor Gardthausen : The old monogram . Hiersemann, Leipzig 1924, also reprint: Sendet, Wiesbaden 1966.
- Franz Goldstein: Monogrammlexikon (= Dictionary of monograms ), Vol. 1: International directory of monograms by visual artists since 1850 . 2nd edition, reviewed and supplemented by Ruth and Hermann Kähler (eds.), Berlin 1964 and Berlin New York 1999, De Gruyter, ISBN 3-11-014453-0 , partly available online
- Johann Christoph Gatterer : Outline of diplomacy . Vandenhoeck and Ruprecht, Göttingen 1798, Section Two: Drawing Studies - Fifth Main Section : Monogram Teaching (Monogrammatica), p. 115 ff. (§95 ff.) .
- Joseph Heller : "Monogram Lexicon", containing the known, dubious and unknown CHARACTERS, as well as the abbreviations of the names of the draftsmen, painters, form cutters, engravers, lithographers, etc. with brief information about them . JG Sickmüller, Bamberg 1831 digitized
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Georg Kaspar Nagler : The monogramists and those known and unknown artists of all schools who use a figurative sign, the initials of the name, the abbreviation of the same to designate their works , & c. have served. Taking into account letterpress marks , the stamp of art collectors , the stamp of the old gold and silversmiths, the majolica factories , porcelain manufacturers, etc. News about painters , draftsmen , sculptors , architects , engravers , shape cutters , letter painters , lithographers , stamp cutters , enamellers , goldsmiths Niello , metal and ivory workers, engravers , armourers, etc. With the rapid indexes of the works of anonymous masters , whose marks are given, and the reference to the products of well-known artists labeled with monograms or initials ... also addition ... the new general artist- Lexicons and supplements to the well-known works by A. Bartsch, Robert-Dumesnil, C. le Blanc, F. Brulliot , Joseph Heller , 5 volumes, Munich 1879 (extensive list of artists working before 1879 with illustrations of their characters)
- First volume (on Google Books ), Georg Franz, Munich 1858;
- available as a reprint in 1991 * Peter Rück : Bildberichte vom König. Chancellor signs, royal monograms and the Salic Dynasty signet . Institute for Historical Auxiliary Sciences, Marburg 1996, ISBN 3-8185-0203-X , ( Elementa diplomatica 4).
- W. Prein: Handbook of monograms in European graphics from the 15th to the 18th century Munich 1989.
- Johann Christoph Weigel , Georg Heinrich Paritius: Decorative and artificially intertwined initial letters of all the names of the imperial house, of all the kings ruling at the moment, of various high status as private persons: Sam [m] t a whole alphabet of all two letter names, In addition to different trade marks, beautiful borders and similar Love trains; All sorts of artists for useful use, in particular Mahler, copper engraver, goldsmith, gold and silver piece, watchmaker, and Petschier engraver etc. / drawn by GH Paritio d. P. Joh. Christoph Weigel excudit , Nuremberg 1711; Lower Saxony State and University Library Göttingen
Web links
Commons : Monogram - album of pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Monogram - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
Notes and individual references
- ↑ Here the horizontal line is the handwritten completion line .
- ↑ Information from the German National Library