Iconography

MUS 44506/ARTH 44506: The Sight of Sound in Early Modern Europe

Iconography

Introduction to Iconography

• Bialostocki, J. "Iconography and Iconology," in Encyclopedia of World Art VII, New York, 1963, cols. 769-785.
  A good historical sketch, detailed discussion of terms and methodology, and an extensive bibliography. N31.E58 4th and 1st floor reading rooms
  
  Refer to Encyclopedia of World Art for other essays, such as "Symbolism and Allegory," "Genre and Secular Subjects," and "Christianity."
  
  
• Straten, Roelof van. An Introduction to Iconography. Langhorne, PA: Gordon and Breach, 1994. N7565.S77130 1994
  Explains the ways in which artists use references and allusions to create meaning; presents the historical, theoretical, and practical aspects of iconography. Chapter 7 dicusses Iconoclass, the indexing system developed by art historian Henri van de Waal in the 1960s..

 

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

• Farmer, David Hugh. Oxford Dictionary of Saints. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997 BR1710 .F34 1997 1st and 4th floor reading rooms, and an.electronic version
  
  
• Hall, James. Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art. New York: Harper and Row, 1979. N7560.H340 1979
  
  
• Koch, W. Musisches Lexikon: Künstler, Kunstwerke und Motive aus Dichtung, Musik, and bildender Kunst (1964) AG27.K75
  Compares treatment of broad themes by writers, composers, and artists.
  
  
• Roberts, Helene. Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of Art. N7740.E53 1998 RR4
  Collection of extended essays that show how biblical, mythological and other themes have been used in art and how the interpretations have changed in different ages and cultures. Extensive indexes and bibliographies.

Early Works

• Biblia Pauperum: A Facsimile and Editon by Avril Henry. New York, Ithaca, 1987. f Z241.B6B520 1987
  Text in Latin with English translation, commentrary and notes of this important medieval book, illustrating the use of typology.
  
  
• Jacobus de Varagine. The Golden Legend, or the Lives of the Saint, trans.G Ryan and H. Ripperger. New York, 1969.
  From the late middle ages on, the Golden Legend was the chief source for depicting the lives of saints. The first comprehensive compilation of oral legends and traditions on the saints, this work is the one the arts would have known. The Library has several editions in different languages, including this electronic version of the 1483 English edition.
  
  
• Ripa, Cesare, Iconologia. An exhaustive catalogue of allegorical figures described with their attributes. The Iconologia was popular in the seventeenth century, and was reprinted in many editions. The University of Chicago has the 1618 edition (Special Collections N7740.R58); the1709 English edition (Special Collections N7740.R583); a reprint of the 1644 N7740.R585 1644a 4th floor reading room; and several other editions, including an electronic version which is an eighteenth-century adaptation.
  

 

Secular Iconography

• Marle, R. van. Iconographie de l'art profane au Moyen-Age, et à la Renaissance et la decoration des demeures. La Haye: M. Nijhoff, 1931-1932. 2 vols. fN5970.M35 4th floor reading room
  
  
• Tervarent, Guy. Attributs et Symboles dans l'art profane, 1450-1600. Genève : Librairie Droz, 1997. 3 vols. N7740.T4 1997 4th floor reading room

Christian Iconography

• Kaftal, George. Iconography of the Saints in Central and South Italian Schools of Painting. Florence: Sansoni, 1965. f N8080.K145 4th floor reading room
  
  
• Kaftal, George. Iconography of the Saints in the Painting of Northeast Italy. Florence: Sansoni, 1978. f N8080.K147 4th floor reading room
  
  
• Kaftal, George. Iconography of the Saints in the Painting of North West Italy. Firenze: Casa Editrice le lettere, 1985. f N8080.K148.4th floor reading room
  
  
• Kaftal, George. Iconography of the Saints in Tuscan painting. Florence: Sansoni, 1952. f N8080.K15 4th floor reading room
  

  Very detailed reference to the representations of saints in the work of various regions of Italy; well illustrated; includes bibliography; also has indexes to attributes and distinctive signs.

• Kirschbaum, E. Lexikon der Christlichen Ikonographie. Rom: Herder, 1968-1976. 8 vols. BV150.L578
  Comprehensive reference to themes in Christian art; first four volumes are alphabetically arranged iconographic topics and second four include articles on saints; vol. 4 contains a useful glossary of English and French terms and their German equivalents; vol. 8 has index of saints' attributes.
  
  
• Réau, L. Iconographie de l'art chrétien. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1955-59. 3 vols. in 6. N7830.R29 4th floor reading room
  Before Kirschbaum was completed, this was the foremost reference source on Christian iconography; v. 1=Introduction, v. 2=iconography of the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, v. 3=iconography of the saints; organized according to chapters of the Bible (v. 2) and alphabetically (v. 3); includes examples of specific art works but sparsely illustrated.
  
  
• Schiller, G. Ikonographie der Christlichen Kunst. Gütersloher Verlagshaus G. Mohn, 1966-. 5 vols. N8010.S33 4th floor reading room
  Well illustrated; v. 1=Incarnation and early life of Christ, v.2= Passion and Crucifixion, v. 3=Resurrection and Ascension, v. 4:1=iconography of the church and its liturgy, v. 4:2=the Life of the Virgin, v. 5=Apocalypse; vol. 1 & 2 exist in English translation with excellent subject index; rest of set minimally indexed by artist and collection.

 

Locating Works of Art

• Pigler, Andor. [Baroque Themes: An Iconographic Survey of the 17th and 18th Century] Barockthemen: eine Auswahl von Verzeichnissen zur Ikonographie des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts. 2nd ed. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1974. N6415.B3P63 1974 4th floor reading room
  In German, an indespensible reference tool listing the story depicted in a work of art, with specific examples and where images can be found. v. 1=biblical themes, v. 2=secular subjects, v. 3=illustrations;
  
  
• Roberts, Helene. Iconographic index to Old Testament subjects represented in photographs and slides of paintings in the visual collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard University. New York : Garland, 1987. ND1430.R630 1987 4th floor reading room
  Alphabetically arranged by subject, with artist, title of work and location.
  
  
• Iconclass indexes. Dutch prints (1994-) Z695.A8 S85 1994
  Uses the Iconclass subject scheme to index some of The illustrated Bartsch volumes on Netherlandish printmakers. Published so far: v.4, Goltzius and his school, by R. van Straten; v.7, The seventeenth century, I, by R. van Straten; v.8, The seventeenth century, II, by R. van Straten.
  
  
• Iconclass indexes. Early German prints (1995-) NE90.B331 1995
  Uses the Iconclass subject scheme to index some of The illustrated Bartsch volumes on German printmakers. Published so far: v.1, Martin Scongauer and his school, v. 2, Albrecht Dürer and his time I, v. 3. Albrecht Dürer and his time II, v. 4, Virgil Solis and his time.
  
  
• Iconclass indexes. Italian prints (1987-) NE659.I26
  Uses the Iconclass subject scheme to index Hind's Early Italian engraving and some of The illustrated Bartsch volumes on Italian printmakers. Published so far: v.1, Early Italian engraving; v.2, Marcantonio Raimondi and his school; v.3, Antonio Tempesta and his time; v.4, The seventeenth century, all by R. van Straten
  
  
• Iconclass indexes. Rembrandt and his school (2000-) ND646.L377 2000
  Uses the Iconclass subject scheme to index W. Sumowski's Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler. Published so far: v.1, Paintings of the Rembrandt school, artists A-J; v.2, Paintings of the Rembrandt school, artists K-Z and anonymous; v. 3,. Rembrandt drawings: an iconographic index to O. Benesch, The drawings of Rembrandt (2nd. ed. 1973); v. 4,. Drawings of the Rembrandt School, artists A-J, an iconographic index to W. Sumowski, Drawings of the Rembrandt School, part I, by Roelof Van Straten.