Duncan Family Coat of Arms 1787 - 1793

Sarah Duncan created this undated coat-of-arms of the Duncan family, likely in the early nineteenth century, using silk and seed-pearl embroidery on a silk ground. Heraldry in Europe and its colonies was traditionally associated with the aristocracy, a visual shorthand communicating lineage, status, and privilege. This piece reflects the aspirations of an American family, eager to claim their place in a new social hierarchy. We see visual codes which tell us the family’s history through symbols and colors. A researcher could start by studying books and manuscripts on heraldry, deciphering the blazon, or heraldic description, to understand the significance of each element. Analyzing this coat of arms allows us to explore themes of identity, social mobility, and the construction of status in the early American Republic. It reminds us that art is never created in a vacuum, but is always shaped by the social and institutional forces of its time.