Research Guides: Researching Art in the Middle Ages (HC): Iconography and Symbolism

Dictionaries and Guides

The Ashgate Companion to Medieval Iconography by Colum Hourihane
Publication Date: 2016-12-27
This companion provides a state-of-the-art assessment of major themes in medieval art. as well as considerations of different methodologies for iconographic interpretations.

Iconography, Symbolism, Motifs, Topoi, And Imagery
Extensive medieval resource list from 2019 by Charles Wright. Covers Byzantine, Jewish and secular iconography as well as symbols and motifs associated with Christianity, particular countries, time periods and artistic media.

Medieval Iconography: A Research Guide by John B. Friedman; Jessica M. Wegmann (Editor)
ISBN: 0815317530
Publication Date: 1998-03-01
This annotated bibliography will help researchers to accurately interpret motifs in medieval art and literature.

British Library Images Online
Covers all time periods and places and provides indexing for content and theme.

Index of Medieval art
Use this database to search for themes and iconography of early Christian and medieval art (from apostolic times through the 16th century). It focuses predominantly on Christian iconography as well as Jewish, Islamic and non-ecclesiastical subjects.
Researchers without a subscription can search for artwork but will not be able to see images in the record results.

The Medieval Bestiary: Animals in the Middle Ages
Useful for images and primary texts concerning animals and imaginary creatures. Not updated since 2011; use other sources for recent scholarship.
Revista Digital de Iconografía Medieval
This open access journal features articles on various motifs and symbols with good quality images.
See also the associated Iconografía online. Includes entries separate from the Revista with analysis, images, and references to both artworks and scholarship.
Ex: Papisa Juana (Pope Joan)
RKDImages
Open access database with over 250, 000 images from the Netherlands Institute for Art History. Covers art from all time periods. Sort results by date ascending to see medieval works. See Keyword or IconClass filters to focus your search.
Warburg Institute Iconographic Database
Online index of iconographic themes as represented in photographed artworks from the Warburg Institute. Coverage includes antiquity, the Middle Ages and the early modern period in Europe and the Mediterranean.

Histories of Color by Michel Pastoureau

Black: The History of a Color

Blue: The History of a Color

The Devil's Cloth: A History of Stripes and Striped Fabrics

Green: The History of a Color

Red: The History of a Color

Yellow: The History of a Color