Editing Flag and seal of Virginia (section)

{{short description|U.S. state flag and seal}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox flag
 | Name = Commonwealth of Virginia
 | Image = Flag of Virginia.svg
 | Nickname = 
 | Use = 110000
 | Symbol = {{FIAV|110000}}{{FIAV|normal}}{{FIAV|Mirror}}
 | Adoption = {{Start date and age|1912|03|28}}<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mo5MAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA346|title=Report of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to the Governor and General Assembly of Virginia|first=Virginia Secretary of the|last=Commonwealth|date=13 December 2018|via=Google Books}}</ref> (standardized February 1, 1950)<ref name=1-506>{{cite web|url=https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/1-506/ |via=Virginia Law |title=§ 1-506. Flag of the Commonwealth.|work=[[Code of Virginia]]|date=February 1, 1950|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia|quote=The flag of the Commonwealth shall be a deep blue field, with a circular white centre of the same material. Upon this circle shall be painted or embroidered, to show on both sides alike, the coat of arms of the Commonwealth, as described in § 1-500 for the obverse of the great seal of the Commonwealth; and there may be a white fringe on the outer edge, furthest from the flagstaff. This shall be known and respected as the flag of the Commonwealth. (Code 1950, § 7-32; 1966, c. 102, § 7.1-32; 2005, c. 839.)|access-date=January 28, 2015}}</ref>{{refn|The very first Virginia state flag was adopted in 1861. It featured a similar design to the current flag.<!--January 31, 1861-->|group=N}}
 | Design = The obverse of the state seal on an azure field
 | Designer = 
|Proportion=2:3}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
 | name             = Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia
 | image            = Seal of Virginia.svg
 | image_width      = 200
 | caption          = The seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia
 | middle_width     = 195
 | image2           = File:AmCyc Virginia - seal (reverse).jpg
 | image2_width     = 200
 | image2_caption   = The reverse side of the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia
 | armiger          = [[Virginia|Commonwealth of Virginia]]
 | year_adopted     = March 28, 1912 (standardized February 1, 1950)<ref name=1-500>{{cite web|url=https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/1-500/|title=§ 1-500. The great seal.|work=[[Code of Virginia]]|date=February 1, 1950|author=Commonwealth of Virginia|publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia|location=Virginia|quote=The great seal of the Commonwealth shall consist of two metallic discs, two and one-fourth inches in diameter, with an ornamental border one fourth of an inch wide, with such words and figures engraved as follows: On the obverse, Virtus, the [[genius (mythology)|genius]] of the Commonwealth, dressed as an Amazon, resting on a spear in her right hand, point downward, touching the earth; and holding in her left hand, a sheathed sword, or parazonium, pointing upward; her head erect and face upturned; her left foot on the form of Tyranny represented by the prostrate body of a man, with his head to her left, his fallen crown nearby, a broken chain in his left hand, and a scourge in his right. Above the group and within the border conforming therewith, shall be the word "Virginia," and, in the space below, on a curved line, shall be the motto, "Sic Semper Tyrannis." On the reverse, shall be placed a group consisting of Libertas, holding a wand and pileus in her right hand; on her right, Aeternitas, with a globe and phoenix in her right hand; on the left of Libertas, Ceres, with a cornucopia in her left hand, and an ear of wheat in her right; over this device, in a curved line, the word "Perseverando." (Code 1950, § 7-26; 1966, c. 102, § 7.1-26; 2005, c. 839.)|access-date=January 29, 2015}}</ref>
 | motto            = Sic Semper Tyrannis
 | designer         = [[Charles Keck]]<ref name=SixHour>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322234623/http://www.6hourday.org/seal.html |date=June 2, 2005 |publisher=6 Hour Day |title=The Great Seal of Virginia at the Capitol of Virginia |access-date=March 22, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=CenturyArchives>{{cite web|url=http://www.centuryarchives.org/stamps/documents/Keck.pdf |title=Charles Kek: Sculptor (1871–1951) |publisher=Century Archives |access-date=February 7, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207210747/http://www.centuryarchives.org/stamps/documents/Keck.pdf |archive-date=February 7, 2015 }}</ref>
}}

The '''Seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia''' is the official seal of the [[Virginia|Commonwealth of Virginia]], a [[U.S. state]]. The '''state flag of Virginia''' consists of the obverse of the seal against a blue background. A [[Flags of the U.S. states|state flag]] was first adopted at the beginning of the [[American Civil War]] in April 1861, readopted in 1912,<ref name="auto"/> and standardized by the [[Virginia General Assembly|General Assembly]] in February 1950.<ref name=1-506/> The standing [[allegorical]] female figure of ''virtue'' is shown having vanquished ''tyranny'', symbolized by a fallen king at her feet. She has an exposed breast in the manner of classical depictions of [[Amazons]]. The motto shown on the seal, ''[[Sic semper tyrannis]]'', means "Thus always to tyrants." 

It is one of six US state flags (along with [[Flag of Florida|Florida]], [[Coat of arms of New York|New York]], [[Coat of arms and flag of New Jersey|New Jersey]], [[Seal of Wyoming|Wyoming]], and [[Flag and seal of Idaho|Idaho]]) with a depiction of a woman,  and the only state flag in the U.S. depicting nudity. 

The flag may be decorated with a white fringe along the fly edge; this is usually done when the flag is displayed indoors.<ref name=FOTW>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/us-va.html|title=Virginia (U.S.)|date=August 8, 2017|work=Flags of the World|last=Wyatt|first=Rick|access-date=September 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=3X5 Indoor VA Flag (Parade) with Fringe, Tassel |url=https://store.dgs.virginia.gov/Store/Detail/3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130164029/https://store.dgs.virginia.gov/Store/Detail/3 |archive-date=Jan 30, 2015 |access-date=January 29, 2015 |work=Store: Department of General Services |publisher=Commonwealth of Virginia |quote=}}</ref>