Arms in Action: the Royal Order of the Seraphim
The Serafimerorden, or Royal Order of the Seraphim of the Kingdom of Sweden, is that country's foremost order of chivalry. At this time, it is only awarded to the royal family or heads of state. It also has an unusual memorial method: at the time of awarding it is given directly to the recipient in medal form (if given twice, also with a chain), and a heraldic artist is formally contracted to emblazon a beautiful version of an achievement with the award included. But the resulting painting is put into storage, and it is only eventually hung up in sacred Riddarholm Church after the recipient's death, like so:
(https://i.redd.it/usqyudbhjzx01.jpg)
Here is a selection of some recent grants, as recreated by artists on Wikimedia and Wappenwiki. I have chosen some of my favorites as well as some of my least favorite (Aníbal Cavaco Silva is pretty bold to pale the national arms of his country, Portugal, quartered with the badge of the presidential award the Sash of the Three Orders, on his own achievement -- but maybe it was emblazoned that way to show he's there on behalf of his country?). Notice the seraphim heads on the chain -- a head weirdly surrounded by a ton of wings, per the Biblical description.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Coat_of_Arms_of_Toomas_Hendrik_Ilves_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg/256px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Toomas_Hendrik_Ilves_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Toomas_Hendrik_Ilves_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
Coat of Arms of Toomas Hendrik Ilves (Order of the Seraphim) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Toomas_Hendrik_Ilves_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Coat_of_Arms_of_An%C3%ADbal_Cavaco_Silva_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg/256px-Coat_of_Arms_of_An%C3%ADbal_Cavaco_Silva_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_An%C3%ADbal_Cavaco_Silva_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
Coat of Arms of Aníbal Cavaco Silva (Order of the Seraphim) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_An%C3%ADbal_Cavaco_Silva_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Herb_Lech_Wa%C5%82%C4%99sa.svg/256px-Herb_Lech_Wa%C5%82%C4%99sa.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herb_Lech_Wa%C5%82%C4%99sa.svg)
Herb Lech Wałęsa (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Herb_Lech_Wa%C5%82%C4%99sa.svg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Coat_of_arms_of_Tarja_Halonen_%28Order_of_Seraphim%29.svg/256px-Coat_of_arms_of_Tarja_Halonen_%28Order_of_Seraphim%29.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Tarja_Halonen_(Order_of_Seraphim).svg)
Coat of arms of Tarja Halonen (Order of Seraphim) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Tarja_Halonen_(Order_of_Seraphim).svg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Coat_of_arms_of_Martti_Ahtisaari_%28Order_of_Seraphim%29.svg/256px-Coat_of_arms_of_Martti_Ahtisaari_%28Order_of_Seraphim%29.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Martti_Ahtisaari_(Order_of_Seraphim).svg)
Coat of arms of Martti Ahtisaari (Order of Seraphim) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Martti_Ahtisaari_(Order_of_Seraphim).svg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Coat_of_Arms_of_Heinz_Fischer_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg/256px-Coat_of_Arms_of_Heinz_Fischer_%28Order_of_the_Seraphim%29.svg.png) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Heinz_Fischer_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
Coat of Arms of Heinz Fischer (Order of the Seraphim) (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Heinz_Fischer_(Order_of_the_Seraphim).svg)
-NRH
These are all very neat to look at.
Yeah, I'm going to try to do this every month or two, according to the rigorous schedule of "whenever I feel like it." Probably an even mix of SCA, modern, and historical stuff.
-NRH