Most certainly I am not the first to be intrigued by heraldry (though annoyingly I haven’t yet figured how to research the provenance of each motif that has drawn me to be indiscriminately and inattentively downloaded). Combined with this transport in armorial bearings is my recent acquaintance with an App called Keepsake.  It is devoted to the retail of frames for one’s photographs, all of which naturally is conducted on-line without the necessity to attend a so-called “bricks and mortar” site. I have applied the initial “Start Framing” link to an assembly of possible frames for various photos I have taken or stolen from somewhere on the internet.  When I find a preferred frame I capture it in a screenshot which I then edit as required (mostly just cropping to get rid of the unintended paraphernalia and advertisement). I am of course left only with the framed image but I usefully employ the same on my web site (which gets at least the same if not more views than our drawing room walls).

All of this speaks to presentation, something I might equally apply to any number of other fiddling preoccupations surrounding one’s domicile, automobile or cottage; even dare I say as remote as one’s fingers or neck.  Presentation is after all no more or less than that captured in the far more vulgar act of demonstration or exhibition; shall I say parading? Heraldry readily comes within the scope of the latter manifestation.

And why not? The male is in particular often defined by his showcasing, both for organic as for provocative purposes (commercial or political). For me however the heraldic composition more commonly represents not so much position and lineage as artistry and mathematical perfection (such as aligns the balance and overall production of the design and decoration). It isn’t long before these manufactured states of perfection dwindle to the less than faultless state of patina for example. The result of both age and polishing are not to be diminished but they admittedly translate the ideal to the real. I am naturally obliged to condone both states of representation but I have to say the clinical is always a spellbinder. There are otherwise just so many obfuscations to idealism and daydreaming.