Late 18th Century John Coles Boston - Sayword Family Coat of Arms

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Attributed to John Coles Sr. (1749-1809) or his son John Coles Jr. (1776-1854) of Boston, Massachusetts. Sayword family crest, knights … Read more Attributed to John Coles Sr. (1749-1809) or his son John Coles Jr. (1776-1854) of Boston, Massachusetts. Sayword family crest, knights helmet, palms, white dove with foliage branch, deer or elk in shield, watercolor on laid paper

Coles was first listed in the Boston Directory as a publisher and painter in 1782

In 1788, Coles was listed as a painter and as a heraldry painter in 1796, which listing continued through 1813; he owed and probably used as his design source a 1724 edition of John Guillim's, "Display of Heraldry." His son, John Coles Jr. (1776-1854), also a portrait, miniature and heraldic painter, was listed in the Boston city directories from 1803 to 1825, and later lived in Providence; had a winter studio in Hartford and summer home in Durham, Connecticut, from 1831-1848; and in Worcester.

The Saywards were a prominent York, Maine family and their history is well-documented in the Sayward House papers, which are preserved by Historic New England. It is likely that the spelling (Sayword) is a reflection of local dialects and phoenetic changes.

Throughout the 18th century Americans maintained the English aristocratic tradition of prominently displaying their family coat of arms in their homes. This painting of the arms of the Sayword family is similar to numerous examples executed by John Coles, Sr., a Boston heraldry painter. Coles characteristically placed the name of the family in the scrolls beneath the shield, a location more commonly reserved for a motto. The crossed green branches, closed helmet, and standard size of paper are also typical of Coles's work.

Examples in National Gallery of Art, Sothebys & Christies, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Boston Museum of Fine Art See less