Key Sources in Religious Iconography

1
Key Sources in Religious Iconography

• Resource Discussion
• LIBR 530
• Ron Rooth

2

Iconography and Iconology
Iconography is descriptive. Iconology is
explanatoryoften pushed too far in the search
for recondite meaning. --- Oxford Companion to
Christian Art Architecture. Iconography
identifies iconology often discusses artistic
intent, or cultural signifiers, or other
supplements to iconography.
3
Religious iconography- Scope

• Limited to resources in the iconography of major
  religions.
• Unless otherwise labeled, the material noted here
  is held in Fine Arts, Irving K. Barber Learning
  Centre.
• This presentation is on key sources in the
  subject.
• General sources, followed by sources for
  particular religions, is included for fun.
• All of the questions handed out can be answered
  with the key sources.

4
Key sources in religious iconography General

• Sources in iconography in the Blackader-Lauterman
  Library of Architecture and Art, McGill
  University an annotated bibliography.

This is itself and annotated bibliography of key
sources iconography both secular and religious.
While works included are those only available at
the authors institution at McGill, the key
sources have warrant in many other institutions
as well. Special section on methodology and key
texts in iconology. Includes author, title, and
subject index.
5
Key Sources in Religious Iconography
General/Scholarly

• Encyclopedia of comparative iconography themes
  depicted in works of art.

• Ref N7560 .E53 1998

A two-volume set with entries from various
authors. It is organized by theme rather than
iconograph for example, pointing/indicating,
laughter. Indexes of works of art, personages,
cross-references between entries.
6
Key sources in religious iconographyGeneral

• The Dent dictionary of symbols in Christian art
• N7825 .S68 1994
• Very good beginning reference and identification
  aid with variant titles of saints, and a visual
  index. A first-aid for recognition of paintings
  with Christian iconography.

7
Key sources in religious iconography General

• Iconography of Religions an introduction
• N7790 .M65 1977 Fine Arts stacks
• A comprehensive approach which purports to fall
  short of scholarly works. Inter-disciplinary.
  Includes early religions as well as major
  religious and secular cultures. Exegetical with a
  back-of-book index.

8
Key sources in religious iconographyGeneral/Schol
arly

• The Oxford companion to Christian art and
  architecture (key) N7830 .M87 1996
• Alpha-arrangement with varying length of
  entries. Works both as ready-reference, and for
  broader subjects requiring extensive discussion
  for example Early Christian Art Architecture.

9
Key sources in religious iconographyScholarly/Gen
eral

• Halls dictionary of subjects symbols in art
• N33 .H345 1979A
• Full of names, persons, objects, concepts,
  attributes and keys to identification.

10
Key sources in religious iconographyScholarly/Gen
eral

• Illustrated dictionary of symbols in Eastern and
  Western Art.
• N7740 .H35 1994A
• Divided into six different topics
• Abstract Signs, e.g. spiral
• Animals, Artefacts, Earth and Sky, Human Body
  and Dress, Plants, Collectives, e.g. The Eight
  Treasures, The Four Arts

11
Key sources in religious iconographyScholarly

• Ikonographie der christlichen Kunst. (in
  translation) N7830 .S3513
• How Christ is represented in different periods.
  Organized chronologically in the life of Christ
  from nativity. Scholarly discussion of varieties
  of depictions.

12
Key sources in religious iconographyScholarly

• Iconographie chretienne (in translation) N7830
  .D52 Fine Arts stacks
• History of Christian Art in the Middle Ages.
  Divided in two volumes discussing depictions of
  The Glory, and The History of God in volume 1,
  and The Trinity in volume 2. Scholarly
  discussions about how we can know when a sign is
  a sign in relation to what is depicted.

13
Key sources in religious iconographyScholarly

• Iconoclass Indexes
• Z697.A8 W320
• First of the Iconoclass index is a multi-volume,
  partially-faceted classification system for
  images with schedules for broad subjects. Other
  indexes are actual numbered classifications of
  paintings from specific periods and regions, as
  well as collections such as the Illustrated
  Bartsch. These indexes are the centre of the
  universe for iconographic identification of art,
  and in some ways also a black hole in terms of
  the challenges they present to the user. A key
  work, but rarified.

14
Key sources in religious iconographyJournals
JOURNALS Iconography of religions N7565 .I265
Fine Arts stacks. After volume 10, catalogued by
volume title. Journal of the Warburg and
Courtauld Institute N1 .L65   from 10/01/1939 to
2001 in JSTOR Arts and Sciences III
Collection Studies in iconography N7810.S78 I26
No full text online Indexing Art Index, MLA,
Bibliography of the History of Art, Avery
Architecture etc
15
Key sources in religious iconographyDatabases
Websites

• Grove Art Online
• ATLA Religion Database
• Brandeis University- Iconography and Iconology
• McGill- Blackader Lauterman Library- Iconography
• Stanford University- Iconography
• Wayne State University- Iconography link-out page