1. A device, emblem, or symbolic design, often with a motto, used to represent a person, family, or organization, especially in Renaissance art and heraldry.
Usage: historical; often used in art history and heraldic contexts; plural: imprese or impresas

Examples

• The nobleman commissioned an impresa featuring a lion and the Latin motto 'Fortitude and Honor.'
• Renaissance artists frequently incorporated the patron's impresa into their paintings and sculptures.
• Each knight displayed his family's impresa on his shield during the tournament.
• The impresa combined visual imagery with a brief inscription to convey the bearer's ideals.
• Scholars study historical impresas to understand the values and aspirations of Renaissance society.