Purpure

Purpure

In heraldry, purpure is a tincture, more or less the equivalent of the colour "purple", and is one of the five main or most usually used "colours" (as opposed to "metals"). It may be portrayed in engravings by a series of parallel lines at a 45 degree angle running from upper right to lower left from the point of view of an observer, or else indicated by using purp. as an abbreviation.

Purpure has existed since the earliest periods, for example in the purpure lion of the arms of León; at that time, it was painted in a greyer shade. However, it has never been as common as the other colours, and this has led to some controversy as to whether it should be counted among the five common colours.

There is at least one instance of it being blazoned as "Imperial Purple". [http://cilialacorte.com/dictionary/Sperver.htm]

Purpure is said to represent the following:

* Of jewels, the amethyst
* Of heavenly bodies, Mercury
** (The planet Mercury is further associated with the element mercury or "quicksilver" in traditional alchemical/occultistic lore)

External links

* [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/purpure.htm Heraldica.org:] Purpure, discussion based on Michel Pastoureau, "Traité d'Héraldique."
* [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/es).html#lio Red vs. Purple Lions]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Purpure — Pur pure, n. [L. purpura purple. See {Purple}.] (Her.) Purple, represented in engraving by diagonal lines declining from the right top to the left base of the escutcheon (or from sinister chief to dexter base). [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • purpure — [pʉr′pyoor] n. [ME < OE(WS): see PURPLE] Heraldry the color purple: indicated in engravings by diagonal lines downward from sinister to dexter …   English World dictionary

  • purpure — n. & adj. Heraldry purple. Etymology: OE purpure & OF purpre f. L purpura (as PURPURA) * * * purpure see purpur …   Useful english dictionary

  • purpure — 1. noun /ˈpəpjuːə,ˈpɚpjuɹ/ A purple colour on a coat of arms, represented in engraving by diagonal parallel lines 45 degrees clockwise. , 1997: Many authorities reject the authenticity of purpure as a tincture. mdash; Brault, Early Blazon 2.… …   Wiktionary

  • purpure — noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, purple Date: 1535 the heraldic color purple …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • purpure — /perr pyoor/, Heraldry. n. 1. the tincture or color purple. adj. 2. of the tincture or color purple. [bef. 900; ME, OE < L purpura PURPLE] * * * …   Universalium

  • Purpure — Her. The *tincture purple. It was indicated in black and white illustrations, by showing lines drawn from the shield s *sinister chief to *dexter base, i.e. from top left to bottom right. [< Lat. purpura = purple dyed cloth] …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • purpure — [poor•poo•re] f ( an/ an) purple, a purple garment …   Old to modern English dictionary

  • purpure — heraldic colour purple Colour Terms …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • purpure — [ pə:pjʊə] noun purple, as a heraldic tincture. Origin OE, from L. purpura (see purpura), reinforced by OFr. purpre …   English new terms dictionary

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