Argent

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This article describes the argent heraldic tincture. For the rock band, see Argent (band). For the Teen Titans character, see Argent (comics).

In heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it. In engravings and line drawings, regions to be tinctured argent are either left blank, or may be indicated with the abbreviation ar. in them.

The name derives from Latin argentum, which means "white money", or silver. The word argent had the same meaning in Old French blazon, from which it passed into the English language.

In some historical depictions of coats of arms, a kind of silver leaf was applied to those parts of the device that were argent. Over time, the silver content of these depictions has tarnished and darkened. As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish regions that were intended as argent from those that were sable. The result is a false impression that the rule of tincture has been violated in cases where the argent was applied next to a dark colour, and where it now appears to be sable next to a dark colour from tarnishing.

Argent and white

Arthur Charles Fox-Davies argued extensively in his book The Art of Heraldry: An Encyclopaedia of Armory that, though extremely rare, the colour white existed as an independent tincture in heraldry separate from argent. He bases this in part on the "white labels" used to difference the arms of members of the British Royal Family. However, it has been argued that these could be regarded as "white labels proper", thus rendering white not a heraldic tincture.[link]

White does seem to be regarded as a different tincture from argent in Portuguese heraldry, as evidenced by the arms of [municipal de Santiago do Cacém] in Portugal, in which the white of the fallen Moor's clothing and the knight's horse is distinguished from the argent of the distant castle, and in the arms of the Logistical and Administrative Command of the Portuguese Air Force.

Argent is said to represent the following:

Of jewels, the pearl
Of heavenly bodies, the Moon
Of the four elements, water
Of the days of the week, Monday
Of the months of the year, January and February
Of trees, the palm
Of flowers, the lily
Of the Zodiac Signs, Cancer
Of birds, the pigeon
Of animals, the stoat
Of virtues, Innocence, whiteness, virginity

The Heraldic Tincture Series
Rule of Tincture
Metals: > Argent \| Or \|
Colours: > Azure \| Gules \| Purpure \| Sable \| Vert \|
Furs: > Ermine \| Vair \| Potent \|
Stains: > Murrey \| Tenné \| Sanguine \|
Other: > Bleu celeste \| Carnation \| Cendrée \| Orange \|

Argent

Argent and white

See also