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Bookplate: Coat of Arms with Isaac Smith inscribed

Nathaniel Hurd

1764

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Contemporary

Dominant colour

Bookplate: Coat of Arms with Isaac Smith inscribed is a 1764 by Nathaniel Hurd, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Nathaniel Hurd
When & what style?: 1764
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This image shows a fancy coat of arms framed by swirling scrollwork. At the top, a sun shines down on a stack of books. Below it, a shield has a pyramid shape with three steps and a book on top. Around the shield, words wrap in a circle, including "COLLEGE HARVARD." Two globes sit on either side, and a name, "Isaac Smith," is written in cursive below. The coat of arms looks like a symbol for Harvard College, founded in 1636. The books and pyramid might stand for knowledge and strength. The whole design is very detailed and old-fashioned. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more prints like this.