coat of arms

Architectural decoration is an integral part of the facade of the building and its composition. Heraldic decor complements the architectural image of the building and is an important part of the composition. This type of decor is an integral part of the visual historical-architectural identification in the public space of the city. It indicates the status of institutions, owners and building founders. The heraldic decoration carries an additional semantic load and serves as a marker on the facade of the building.

The coat of arms on a noble portrait serves as an important tool for the identification of people on the portraits. Taking into account this circumstance in future will allow to give more accurate information about the persons depicted on portraits in the collection of the Lviv Historical Museum, most of which are not yet identified or the identification is mistaken or hypothetical.

There are 43 noble portraits with the coat of arms of 17th – the beginning of 20th century in Lviv Historical Museum’s collection. The images of noble emblems at the portraits were motivated by the desire to show a person’s belonging to a particular armorial or family community. An appeal to the history of its family wasn’t random, as the nobleman thus emphasized that by his activities he contributed to the enhancement of the glory and prestige of his ancestors.