File:FirstCommitteeGreatSealObverseLossingDrawing.jpg

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Original file (670 × 670 pixels, file size: 201 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

Captions

Captions

Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents

Summary

[edit]
Description

Interpretation of the first committee's design for the obverse of the Great Seal of the United States in 1776, which was never used. This was based on Pierre Eugene du Simitiere's proposal, which may in turn have been somewhat based on some elements from an earlier coin design by Benjamin Franklin. This interpretation was made in 1856 by Benson J. Lossing, and is partially incorrect -- the initials of the states are supposed to be on the shield itself, in a border area.

The design was:

The shield has six Quarters, parts one, coupé. The 1st Argent, a Rose enamelled gules and argent for England: the 2nd Or, a Thistle proper for Scotland: the 3d Vert a Harp Or for Ireland: the 4th Azure a Flower de luce Or for France: the 5th Or the Imperial Eagle Sable for Germany: and the 6th Or the Belgic Lion Gules for Holland, pointing out the countries from which these states have been peopled.

The shield within a bordure Gules entwined of thirteen Scutcheons Argent linked together by a chain or, each charged with the initial letters Sable, as follows: 1st NH, 2nd MB, 3d RI, 4th C, 5th NY, 6th NJ, 7th P, 8th DC, 9th M, 10th V, 11th NC, 12th SC, 13th G, for each of the thirteen independent States of America. [The clockwise sequence lists the states in a north-to-south geographical order. 'MB' stands for 'Massachusetts Bay'. 'DC' stands for 'Delaware Counties' (as this state split off from Pennsylvania as having had been its lower counties).]

Supporters, Dexter the Goddess of Liberty in a corselet of Armour, alluding to the present times, holding in her right hand the Spear and Cap and with her left supporting the shield of the States; Sinister the Goddess of Justice bearing a sword in her right hand and in her left a Balance.

Crest, the Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the shield and beyond the Figures.

Motto: E Pluribus Unum.

Legend round the whole achievement, "Seal of the United States of America MDCCLXXVI"

Date
Source From the The New Harper's Magazine, Volume 13, Issue 74, July 1856, page 180, article Great Seal of the United States by Benson J. Lossing
Author
Benson John Lossing  (1813–1891)  wikidata:Q4890263 s:en:Author:Benson John Lossing
 
Benson John Lossing
Alternative names
Benson J. Lossing; Benson Lossing
Description American journalist, historian and writer
Date of birth/death 12 February 1813 Edit this at Wikidata 3 June 1891 Edit this at Wikidata
Location of birth/death Beekman Edit this at Wikidata Dover Plains, New York
Authority file
creator QS:P170,Q4890263
Other versions
  • Reverse
    Reverse

Licensing

[edit]
Public domain

This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.

You must also include a United States public domain tag to indicate why this work is in the public domain in the United States.
This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.

Public domain
Public domain
This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1929, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.
United States
United States
This image might not be in the public domain outside of the United States; this especially applies in the countries and areas that do not apply the rule of the shorter term for US works, such as Canada, Mainland China (not Hong Kong or Macao), Germany, Mexico, and Switzerland. The creator and year of publication are essential information and must be provided. See Wikipedia:Public domain and Wikipedia:Copyrights for more details.

File history

Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.

Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current07:15, 27 December 2008Thumbnail for version as of 07:15, 27 December 2008670 × 670 (201 KB)Clindberg (talk | contribs)==Summary== {{Information |Description=Interpretation of the first committee's design for the obverse of the Great Seal of the United States in 1776, which was never used. This was based on Pierre Eugene du Simitiere

You cannot overwrite this file.

There are no pages that use this file.

File usage on other wikis

The following other wikis use this file:

Metadata

This file contains additional information such as Exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong.

Retrieved from "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:FirstCommitteeGreatSealObverseLossingDrawing.jpg&oldid=931953938"