@Mictorrani 11 November 2021

Retrospection 12

*Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.*

It has hardly escaped any long time reader of mine that I am fascinated by symbols, and I have a separate label for that in my index. Yet that includes just what's most explicitly is about symbology, since much more than we tend to think of is indeed a matter of symbols. One can go so far as to say that our intellect operates with symbols of reality (as we perceive it). https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#symbols In Symbols & Their Opposite: Mathematics & Music, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-their-opposite-mathematics-music-94a7a931 “*Symbols are important. They do not only convey signals whose meaning is understood by those taught of them; some symbols go deeper than that, their understanding being universal, an inherent part of our psyche as a species, of our genetically based mental organisation.* *All of us deal with symbols all the time, whether we are aware of it or not. Words are symbols for what they mean, letters are symbols for sounds, and figures are symbols for numbers. We have traffic signs when we drive, and we have icons when using computers. A gesture is a symbol, and so is most art.“* Further, I wrote about pure mathematics being... “*[...] an art dealing only with symbols. A purely intellectual art that is so pure that the symbols are disconnected from a real meaning for a totally abstract one. The formal system that evolves by the interaction of these abstract symbols exists in its own right, completely separate from physical reality.“* (This might not be obvious for the average reader being without knowledge of higher mathematics, but it is so for every mathematician.) That's an extreme point, however, we will not discuss that further here and now. Instead, let's look at some material about explicit symbols.

A number of articles are dedicated to Vexillology & Heraldry, in general flags and coat of arms – or rather to specific symbols occurring on flags and arms, and symbolic meanings of some involved colours or combination of colours. As I write in this article: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267 “*A flag is indeed a piece of coloured cloth, but colours and patterns are not put there randomly; they are carefully chosen to convey a certain symbolic meaning.”* Although it was not published first, it is best to start with Vexillology & Heraldry, which is an introduction to the subject. Then follows (in no particular order): https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267 Fleur-de-lis & The Lily of Florence, about two similar symbols that are not related; two lilies, the French and the Florentine. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fleur-de-lis-the-lily-of-florence-5ef3a335 La Tricolore: What is the Origin of Its Colours and Design?, about the French tricolore, and about tricolor flags in general. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/la-tricolore-what-is-the-origin-of-its-colours-and-design-c9d42877 The Star-And-Crescent - A Symbol for Islam?, about a symbol whose genuine meaning is poorly understood. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-star-and-crescent-a-symbol-for-islam-699fad0d Nisshōki, Taegeukgi & the Nordic Cross, about the flags of Japan, Korea, and the Nordic countries. One of the latter is the world's oldest flag design still being in use. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nisshoki-taegeukgi-the-nordic-cross-d2122aac Further three articles, whose titles are self-explanatory. The Eagle as an Heraldic Symbol of Empire https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-eagle-as-an-heraldic-symbol-of-empire-50183a24 Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b Flags with Dragons https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/flags-with-dragons-69fd9787 We have also: The Crocodile, a Symbol of Egypt? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-crocodile-a-symbol-of-egypt-6330b5af Snakes in Astrology & Heraldry, which includes a section on the peculiar “Biscione”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/snakes-in-astrology-heraldry-505ccf47 Some further snake/serpent symbols: From the Sacred Cobras of Egypt to Quezalcoatl: Serpents & Snakes in Mythology https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/from-the-sacred-cobras-of-egypt-to-quezalcoatl-serpents-snakes-in-mythology-fc2039be Miscellaneous: The Eye As A Metaphysical Symbol, from the Eye of Horus to God's all-seeing eye. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-eye-as-a-metaphysical-symbol-cbe19c0a Symbols of the Knights Templar & Templars in Fiction: Literature and Film https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-of-the-knights-templar-templars-in-fiction-literature-and-film-f8a544f5 Greedy Old Men, Dragons & Leaping Through the Dragon's Gate, about the symbolic Dragon's Gate. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/greedy-old-men-dragons-leaping-through-the-dragons-gate-58847df1 The Three Sacred Treasures, about the Imperial Regalia of Japan: the Mirror, the Jewel, and the Sword. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8 Finally articles about colours as symbols: When Something is so Red, it is Purple: Purple in Chinese & Japanese Symbology https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/when-something-is-so-red-it-is-purple-purple-in-chinese-japanese-symbology-70e051af Pontifex Maximus & The Imperial Purple of Rome, about the imperial purple, a powerful symbol still in use. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pontifex-maximus-the-imperial-purple-of-rome-1bd0c336 And two of my most recent articles (further articles will come in this series): Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906 Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a Let's leave the symbols and slip over to the subject of art. You find these articles in my index, under subtitle Art. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#art

In two articles - based on material from my e-book “The Promethean Fire” (2018) - I discuss creativity in general, with examples from various forms of art: The Cult of the Green Fairy; La Fée Verte https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-cult-of-the-green-fairy-la-fee-verte-641c4182 Mindfood & Drugs, Creative Genius & Insanity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/mindfood-drugs-creative-genius-insanity-91391009 Two other articles, where I discuss what art is: Art as Visual Music & The Importance of Form https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/art-as-visual-music-the-importance-of-form-a040976f Practising Art: The Art of Seeing & Beyond Mere Seeing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/practising-art-the-art-of-seeing-beyond-mere-seeing-a062694a Then a few articles about specific art: Renaissance Artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Surprisingly Modern https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/renaissance-artist-giuseppe-arcimboldo-surprisingly-modern-61e7a789 The Two Michelangeli – Two of the Greatest Artists of European Art History https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-two-michelangeli-two-of-the-greatest-artists-of-european-art-history-72fc6347 The Kreutzer Sonata: How Art Inspires to Art, which Inspires to Art... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-kreutzer-sonata-how-art-inspires-to-art-which-inspires-to-art-3dced6f6 Pictures at an Exhibition https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pictures-at-an-exhibition-48b5889b Sepia, Grisaille & Verdaille: Monochrome Art... and how about Japan? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/sepia-grisaille-verdaille-monochrome-art-and-how-about-japan-da2aed40 As for Japanese art, see Japanology. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#japanology Have symbols and art anything in common? Yes, indeed they do. In Art as Visual Music & The Importance of Form I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/art-as-visual-music-the-importance-of-form-a040976f “I am bold enough to claim that symbology is still the most important part of art. Not necessarily quantitatively, but as the part reaching the deepest into our minds. If we develop it to its extreme, we land in a form of mathematics, or at least something analogous to mathematics.”

My series “Retrospection” is primarily created for new readers of mine, as a manual into my production at this platform so far - but it can be read by anyone who wants to explore my articles topic by topic, rather than doing so in chronological order. In addition to that, my retrospections contain new comments and from time to time short personal stories connected to the relevant topic or topics. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. (All images of this article are in the Public Domain. For more details,see Fleur-de-lis & The Lily of Florence (the three coats of arms), The Cult of the Green Fairy; La Fée Verte (Vincent van Gogh), Renaissance Artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Surprisingly Modern (the last image). https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fleur-de-lis-the-lily-of-florence-5ef3a335 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-cult-of-the-green-fairy-la-fee-verte-641c4182 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/renaissance-artist-giuseppe-arcimboldo-surprisingly-modern-61e7a789 You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34 My 5 most recent articles: Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906 Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4 Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb