iconography

noun

ico·​nog·​ra·​phy ˌī-kə-ˈnä-grə-fē How to pronounce iconography (audio)
plural iconographies
1
: the traditional or conventional images or symbols associated with a subject and especially a religious or legendary subject
2
: pictorial material relating to or illustrating a subject
3
: the imagery or symbolism of a work of art, an artist, or a body of art
4

Did you know?

If you saw a 17th-century painting of a man writing at a desk with a lion at his feet, would you know you were looking at St. Jerome, translator of the Bible, who, according to legend, once pulled a thorn from the paw of a lion, which thereafter became his devoted friend? And if a painting showed a young woman reclining on a bed with a shower of gold descending on her, would you recognize her as Danaë, locked up in a tower to keep her away from the lustful Zeus, who then managed to gain access to her by transforming himself into golden light (or golden coins)? An iconographic approach to art can make museum-going a lot of fun—and amateur iconographers know there are also plenty of symbols lurking in the images that advertisers bombard us with daily.

Examples of iconography in a Sentence

the iconography of the 1960s
Recent Examples on the Web The 60″ x 72″ acrylic on canvas memorializes the iconography of twins in Yoruba culture, signifying a powerful presence and a source of protection. Essence, 7 June 2024 In a 2019 study, researchers detailed gold medallions and stone carvings with religious iconography dredged from the bottom of the lake. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 June 2024 Although their ideas and iconography draw inspiration from the Confederacy, the Ku Klux Klan, the Nazis, and other dead or moribund movements, today’s American and European far-right groups are more firmly rooted in much more recent developments. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021 The American cowboy, so much a part of the iconography and outlaw ethos of country music, is based on the Mexican vaquero. Craig Marks, New York Times, 27 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for iconography 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iconography.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin iconographia, from Greek eikonographia sketch, description, from eikonographein to describe, from eikon- + graphein to write — more at carve

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of iconography was in 1678

Dictionary Entries Near iconography

Cite this Entry

“Iconography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconography. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.

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