Allusions in pictures are the topic of this book which is intended to be a guide to the meanings of works of art. Symbols based on the saints and martyrs, on myth and the Bible and on characters and episodes from the Middle Ages to the 19th century are listed, defined and explained. There are special highlighted features on the treatment of major themes or topics such as "Adam and Eve," "Birds," "Landscapes" and "Still Lifes." Arrangement is alphabetical with cross-references and there are indexes by artist and supplementary words for which there are no main entries. Appropriate for both middle and high schools.
For centuries, religious and mythological themes, often charged with profound symbolic significance, have played a major role in the subject matter of Western Art. Only through an awareness of these themes can we fully comprehend the complexities and subtleties of an artistʼs interpretation. Symbolic meanings can be ascribed not only to figures, objects and historical episodes, but also to posture, color and weather. Concentrating especially on the biblical subjects that have dominated Western art from the early Christian period, and on the mythological subjects that were a potent influence from the Renaissance onward, the book examines common emblems and coded references used by artists. The detailed entries on saints, heroes, heroines, miracles, martyrdoms, and ravishments are given generous space, and are highly readable and authoritative. The Dictionary of Symbols in Western Art is both a delight to read and a highly informative reference tool. The organized, highly readable text includes feature panels on the major symbols and subject, including Adam and Eve, Ages of Man, Angels, Architecture, Birds, Colours (colors), Continents, Cross, Flowers, Furies, Gods and Goddesses, Halo, Impresa, Landscape, Liberal Arts, martyrs, Muses, Music/Musical Instruments, Nude, Religious Orders, Seasons, Senses, Still Life, time, Triumphs, Vices, Virtues, Zodiac. The Dictionary of Symbols in Western Art is the reference for a definitive understanding of the recurring themes of art that have been handed down from antiquity to the present day. Book jacket.
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