Water, earth and air

[Jorge_Stolfi]

This denies, after the fact, the possibility that any artist has used nebuly symbolism. Surely, the artist is not focused on heraldry, but the intended interpretation of the artistic technique is the same cloud-based concept, whether the nebuly line is plain or ornate.

Ok, the "nebuly line" of heraldry is a reference to clouds.

But not every depiction of clouds, realistic or as the stereotypical wolkenband, is a reference to heraldry...

The oldest 'word-pattern' association I know is Wolkenstein

I agree that the Wolkenstein pun shows that by 1300 or the wavy line with swollen knobs was used in coats of arms, and that it was understood to be a reference to clouds.  (Was it in general use, or was it "invented" by the Wolkensteins?)

But that still does not answer my question about the word "nebuly".  More generally, when was the terminology of heraldry standardized? Was it already settled in 1400, or did people use ad-hoc descriptions for the coat of arms? Like "duh, a wavy line with swollen knobs, going from this side to that side, but tilted, not level"...

Here's a nice cloud-band, without any indication of religious personages or cosmological interpretations dated 1316. No cosmic boundaries, no heraldry, but the nebuly / gewolkt interpretation is still clearly implied.

Thanks.  But, again, "nebuly" is strictly a heraldry term, like "gules" and "or".   No? I think that using it for the wolkenbands of the artists is rather confusing...

All the best, --stolfi