Encyclopedia

iconography

iconography (ī"konog'rufē) [key][Gr.,=image-drawing] or iconology[Gr.,=image-study], in art history, the study and interpretation of figural representations, either individual or symbolic, religious or secular; more broadly, the art of representation by pictures or images, which may or may not have a symbolic as well as an apparent or superficial meaning.

Sections in this article:

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on iconography from Fact Monster:

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Art: General
© 2000–2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Fact Monster