Okuzeka
Art & Art History vocabulary · Describing & Interpreting Art

Iconography

Meaning in art & art history, with examples

/ˌaɪkəˈnɑːɡrəfi/nounCommon term

In art & art history, iconography means: The study of the symbols, figures and themes in artworks and what they meant to people at the time; also the set of images linked to a particular subject.

In Turkish: ikonografi, tasvir bilimi

How it is used

A core method in art history, closely linked to Erwin Panofsky. Students identify the iconography of a scene, for example recognising a saint by the objects they hold. Also used more widely: Christian iconography, royal iconography, the iconography of power.

Example sentences

  1. In Christian iconography, Saint Peter is usually shown holding keys.

  2. Your essay should discuss both the style and the iconography of the altarpiece.

Common collocations

  • Christian iconography
  • royal iconography
  • iconographic analysis
  • iconographic programme
  • symbolismThe use of objects, colours, animals or figures to stand for ideas or qualities, for example a dog for loyalty or a skull for death.
  • motifA shape, image or theme that is repeated in one work or across many works, such as a flower in a textile pattern or a symbol that keeps returning in an artist's paintings.
  • subject matterWhat an artwork shows or is about, such as a battle, a bowl of fruit, a myth or a social issue, as opposed to how it is made.
  • depictTo show a person, scene or idea in a picture, sculpture or other artwork.

More terms: Describing & Interpreting Art

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: