When we think of symbolism in art, it’s easy to imagine paintings, sculptures, or intricate illustrations. Yet even a national emblem like the Great Seal of the United States is a masterclass in symbolic artistry.
Every element, from the eagle to the pyramid to the Latin mottos, functions like a carefully chosen motif in a painting, conveying meaning far beyond its surface.
What Does The Great Seal Represent?
“Symbolically, the Seal reflects the beliefs and values that the Founding Fathers attached to the new nation and wished to pass on to their descendants.”
Origins of the Great Seal: How It Was Designed
According to Britannica website, when the newly independent United States needed a national seal, the job went to a series of design committees beginning in 1776.
Eye of Providence: One of the most striking elements of the Seal’s reverse side is the floating “Eye of Providence” inside a radiant triangle, positioned above an unfinished 13‑step pyramid.
The Eye was originally proposed by artist Pierre Eugene du Simitière, who suggested “The Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends…” as a design element.
The pyramid—with exactly 13 steps—symbolises the original thirteen states while also conveying the idea of a “work in progress,” an unfinished nation striving toward growth.
The motto above the Eye, “Annuit Cœptis,” means “He has favoured our undertakings.” Congress, via Thomson’s report, explained it as a reference to divine providence having supported America’s founding.
Below the pyramid appears “Novus Ordo Seclorum” (“A new order of the ages”), signifying the dawn of a new American era as of 1776 (inscribed in Roman numerals at the base).
The Eagle
The bald eagle is not just a patriotic mascot. In artistic terms, it is a living allegory of strength, courage, and freedom. Its posture, wings spread, talons holding arrows and an olive branch, evokes the duality often explored in symbolic art: war and peace, strength and diplomacy, vigilance and grace.
Like a figure in a Renaissance painting, every detail is deliberate, designed to communicate deeper truths.
The Shield and Stars
The shield across the eagle’s chest is more than decoration. Its thirteen stripes symbolise the original colonies, and its self-supporting structure mirrors symbolist traditions in painting and heraldry, where shields often convey unity and moral integrity. Above, the constellation of thirteen stars floats like a celestial motif, hinting at destiny, aspiration, and the guiding principles that unite the nation, much like stars or halos in allegorical art.
The Pyramid and Eye
The reverse of the seal reads like a miniature symbolic tableau. The unfinished pyramid is an emblem of growth, potential, and the ongoing work of human endeavor, a theme repeated in centuries of symbolic painting. The Eye of Providence, set within radiant light, recalls the use of all-seeing figures in religious and mystical art: a reminder that actions, intentions, and moral oversight are interconnected.
Even the Latin inscriptions — Annuit Coeptis and Novus Ordo Seclorum — function like captions in medieval or Renaissance symbolism, guiding interpretation and imbuing meaning.
The Great Seal is a visual story, layered with allegory and philosophy, waiting to be read like any fine symbolic painting.
Why The Symbolism Resonates
For anyone exploring art with symbols, the Great Seal is a fascinating case study. It demonstrates how geometry, figures, objects, and text can combine to convey identity, values, and vision. Just like a painting by a Symbolist artist, it communicates on multiple levels, patriotic, philosophical, and even spiritual, all in a single, cohesive image.
Why is the eagle looking toward the olive branch and not the arrows?
One of the most striking features of the Great Seal is the way the bald eagle looks toward the olive branch rather than the arrows. This small detail carries a profound message about the intentions and philosophy of the fledgling United States.
By turning its head toward the olive branch, the eagle expresses a preference for peace, signalling that diplomacy, cooperation, and harmony were the guiding principles of the new nation. The olive branch itself, with its thirteen leaves and thirteen olives, also references the original thirteen colonies, reinforcing the idea that peace was to be a collective, unified effort.
Yet the eagle’s talons firmly grasp the bundle of thirteen arrows, representing the nation’s readiness to defend itself if diplomacy failed. This duality — peace preferred, but strength maintained, reflects a careful balance between idealism and pragmatism. The founding fathers recognised that while the United States sought to foster friendly relations, it could not survive or thrive without the ability to protect its sovereignty.
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Early Proposals and Jefferson’s Role
Before the final design of the Great Seal was approved in 1782, several committees worked to create a symbol that reflected the values of the new nation. The first committee, appointed on July 4, 1776, included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. Each member proposed very different designs: Adams suggested Hercules representing virtue and strength; Franklin proposed a biblical scene of Moses parting the Red Sea; Jefferson combined Franklin’s idea with a reference to Anglo-Saxon heritage. They also consulted the artist Pierre Eugène du Simitière, who suggested a shield with the Eye of Providence, thirteen linked shields representing the states, and the motto E Pluribus Unum.
Although Jefferson contributed several important ideas, including the eye, the date, and the motto, he had no influence over the final choice of the bald eagle as the national symbol. These early proposals illustrate how the Great Seal emerged from a mix of biblical, classical, and heraldic inspiration. You can explore the full Monticello article here: Seal of the United States – Monticello
