1. A symbolic or allegorical design, often consisting of a picture with a motto or inscription, used as a personal emblem or device (especially in Renaissance art and heraldry).
Usage: historical; often used in plural form; from Italian

Examples

• The nobleman commissioned an imprese featuring a phoenix rising from flames to symbolize his resilience.
• Renaissance princes often displayed their imprese on shields and banners to represent their virtues.
• The artist designed an imprese combining a lion with the Latin motto 'Fortitude and Honor.'
• Medieval and Renaissance courts valued imprese as expressions of personal identity and power.
• The museum's collection includes several imprese from the 16th century, each with intricate symbolic meaning.