The Great Seal of the United States kicks the crap out of that Byzantine, pseudo-monarchical freak of nature you guys currently rock.
Russian President Vladimir Putin poked fun at the official seal of the United States while hosting President Trump's national security adviser Tuesday, saying he wondered if the American eagle had plucked all the olives from the branch in its talon. While sitting down with John Bolton at the Kremlin, Putin mentioned Trump's stated intent to pull the US out of a pivotal arms control treaty. He said Moscow also was aware of Washington's doubts about extending another landmark nuclear treaty and its plans to deploy elements of missile defense in space. The Russian leader then referred to the Great Seal of the United States, which includes a bald eagle holding a bundle of 13 arrows in one talon and an olive branch with 13 olives in another, the AP reports.
"I have a question: Has your eagle picked all the olives and only has arrows left?" Putin asked with a laugh.
America's Great Seal might be the most perfect example of national heraldic art currently out there because nothing is more American. Designed by committee (three of them, actually), it has this "aw, screw it, just grab something from all three proposals and let it go" vibe going for it.
This is a century-later realization of the deist Dr. Franklin's proposal for a great seal. That's Pharoah's army drowning in the Red Sea while Moses and the children of Israel look on at the left. I'm pretty sure that thing on the top is Yahweh. The words are attributed to John Bradshaw.
English regicide. It would have made a kickass national seal except for the fact that there wasn't a medalist on either side of the Atlantic who could have pulled it off.
Your sigillography lesson of the day.
And yes, I am that boring. I thought this had already been established.
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