Bach FAQ 93
What Does the Bach Seal / Bach Monogram of Johann Sebastian Bach Represent?..
Johann Sebastian Bach designed his “Bach seal” himself. Today, it is the seal of the Bach family of musicians. Bach fans also refer to it as the Bach coat of arms, the Bach monogram, the Bach crest, Bach’s symbol, the Bach logo, or the Bach insignia..
With a little effort, you can make out the three letters J, S, and B. They’re the right way up … just as you’d write them. Bach then placed three more letters above these three: the same ones … in mirror writing. The result – later embellished with a few flourishes and finally crowned with a wreath – became Johann Sebastian Bach’s “official” seal for over two and a half centuries..
But: The Bach seal that is “official” today hasn’t always been the same for Bach enthusiasts—over these roughly 280 years since about 1750. You can also read about it in detail on my website. And enjoy it. Specifically, a few Bach FAQs down the line. Why not here? The Bach on Bach website is a “living” work. My story about Veit Bach also evolved over a full twelve years. This even more detailed “Bach seal page,” FAQ 106, was actually created only after another exchange with a Bach expert and, ultimately, a spectacular discovery in 2022 … and then all over again … and you can access it … by clicking here..
Few people saw the Bach seal until 1750..
Specifically, only those who received a personal document from Bach bearing the Bach seal ... such as receipts and contracts. However, this seal was almost certainly also the basis for the first “official” modern Bach seal known to us, which was created by a graphic designer or artist long after 1750. As you can clearly see above, it’s hard to make out the number of points or prongs in the crown. Really?..
Quite a few people more are probably already familiar with the Bach seal on the Bach cup..
After all, many thousands of visitors have seen this drinking vessel ... which once belonged to Johann Sebastian Bach ... over many, truly many decades in Leipzig. And for quite some time now, it has also been on display at the Bach House in Eisenach. Interestingly, the crown is missing here. But two laurel branches can be seen beneath the six letters. There are also 14 dots as a stylistic element (... see the video note below). The goblet was created before Bach’s death in 1750 and has been featured in several books about Bach. We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Director Dr. Hansen of the Bach House in Eisenach, who gave us permission to publish the photo above. By the way: The link two lines down in this section – the second image on that page – leads to a cute video about the Bach Cup: The Mystery of the Bach Cup. What’s particularly intriguing – and you can discover this for yourself – is the arrangement of the letters, both as they appear normally and in their mirror image: The Bach Cup reads “SJB,” which would mean the master’s name should have been Sebastian Johann Bach. Why that is the case … we have no idea and are waiting for the invention of time machines. © Dr. Jörg Hansen..
The third Bach seal is certainly by far the best-known Bach seal, judging by the number of Bach fans who have ever seen it..
This is because it was created sometime between Bach’s death in 1750 and the year 1850. The graphic designer, painter, or artist most likely based his work on a wax seal “impressed” into sealing wax more or less cleanly. For if he had used the glass goblet as a model, the laurel branches would be missing from his design. He most certainly assumed that the crown above the letters had seven cones (... since the points aren’t actually jagged) or even prongs. In addition, there were small tendrils around the letters. The leaves in the later seal were, at that time, still small, “elongated-round” ornamental elements. No one protested at the time. After all, Bach was pretty much “out” from 1750 to 1830. And so, from 1750 to 1830 through 2010, hundreds of thousands of Bach fans around the world associated the seal or symbol with the design shown above..
Today, the fourth Bach seal can be seen in front of the Bach House in Eisenach. However, the design surrounding the six letters “JSB” does not feature leaves; instead, like on the glass goblet, it has dots. Exactly 14 of them. There is also no crown above the six letters, nor are there any laurel branches below them..
The fifth Bach seal was found in 2010 in the Meissen Cathedral. It features a crown but no leaves; instead, it has laurel branches. The full story can be found elsewhere. On this website ... as mentioned. My thanks, of course, also go to © Dr. Markus Zepf (Bach Archive, March 2019)..
With the discovery of the fifth Bach seal (... on the inside of the chest mentioned earlier), the most well-known graphic version of the Bach seal up to that point was modified slightly..
The seven points were reduced to five. This resulted in this sixth Bach seal. With this significant change—and a few other minor ones—the Bach seal finally acquired “its own history” as well. The small, elongated oval decorative elements eventually became tendrils and leaves. Even though they can’t be found anywhere on the two now-familiar historical Bach seals. That’s fine, though. It turned out pretty nicely. Here you can find—once again, this information from me—and much, much more to learn..
The seventh Bach seal is, without a doubt, by far the most exciting one..
This sensational discovery—for die-hard Bach fans and two Bach scholars in Flein—namely my wife and me—was made by Martina Pohl, director of church music in Sangerhausen. This Bach seal is probably known to only a few Bach fans. Namely, those who did not overlook the note in the 2014 issue of the Bach Magazine. After that, this fantastic discovery slipped back into oblivion … and will surely remain there forever. But … not with “Bach über Bach.”..
At first, the discovery was described in detail on just one page of my website, Bach in Wechmar ... but even there, hardly more than “a handful” of people would ever read about it. Until, finally, almost a full year later, it dawned on me: This discovery belongs at the very top of Google’s search results ... in the number 1 spot. Making that happen was my goal ... when it came to the Bach seal. Thank you for the fascinating tip and your ( ! ) discovery, Mrs. Pohl. © KMD Martina Pohl..
Finally, I found the eighth Bach Seal / Bach Monogram..
That was when all the text about the Bach symbol / Bach logo ... and I mean absolutely all of it ... had finally been completed. Not exactly great for me: Because that meant many headings and the Google tags had to be changed once again. What’s the point of a deadline, then?! Through my own ( ! ) Google search – and specifically in the “Images” section – I actually found it: this eighth Bach seal … which hadn’t been republished in a book, on stamps, or anywhere else … not at all. But … that’s what search engines are for. © Christian Hoske..
It turned out just how valuable it can be to have a friend living there, where this eighth Bach seal / Bach logo / Bach monogram ... and yes, Bach’s symbol as well ... can be photographed all over again, completely “fresh.” Because simply stealing it from the internet and then publishing it here … that’s not something we’d ever do. Not we … not with our Bach Mission..
This eighth Bach seal above is part of a gate directly in front of the main entrance to the Georgenkirche in Eisenach in Thuringia, the superstar’s birthplace. It is certainly the Bach coat of arms in its “most unadorned” form: there’s no crown at the top. There are no laurel branches at the bottom. And there are no tendrils or leaves either … not even … dots. Not 14, not even one. Thank you, dear Christian, for the photo above. Taken especially for me. Christian Hoske is our (…and perhaps one day yours as well…) family historian. We owe him a great deal. That’s why there’s another link here… once again. © Photo by C.A. Hoske..
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