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General Art Iconography
General Art Iconography
*Books are located in Reference on 1st floor of the Willis Library (unless otherwise indicated).
To begin iconographical research, search for the images, objects or suspected themes seen in the work of art in the books listed below. Images or objects are listed alphabetically in these books. Iconclass is a great source to reference when beginning iconographical research.
Iconclass, Z697 A8 W3 1973
An icon classification system composed of the following divisions: 1. Religion & Magic, 2. Nature, 3. Man, 4. Society, Civilization and Culture, 5. Abstract Ideas and Concepts, 6. History, 7. Bible, 8. Literature, 9. Classical Mythology and Ancient History.
*Begin by looking up the objects and images in your art work in the 3 volumes of the Iconclass Indexes. The objects are alphabetized from A-Z. Then look up the numbers that follow the entries in the other 7 volumes. Example of an entry: Eagle with book~ symbol of John the Evangelist see 11 H (JOHN). Now, look up the number 11 H in volume 1 to read more about this symbolism. After searching Iconclass, you will know if you need to search for your images and objects in Christian, Greek or Roman or Ovid's Metamorphoses iconography sources.
Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art
N7740 .H35 1994
N7560 .H34 (additional copy at the Reserve Desk)
The Dictionary of Symbols in Western ArtN7740 .C29 1995
Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of ArtN7560 .E53 1998
Dictionary of SymbolsGR 931 .C4413 1996
Dictionary of Symbols and ImageryBL600 .V74 1976
Iconclass Index. Early German PrintsNE651 .L386 1995 (v.1-4)
Iconclass Index. Italian Prints
NE659 .H48
Animals in Art and Thought at the End of the Middle Ages
N7660 .K55 1971
Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees
GR780 .L44 1990
Encyclopedia of Animal Symbolism in Art
GR780 .L44 2004