iconography

noun

ico·​nog·​ra·​phy ˌī-kə-ˈnä-grə-fē 

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

: iconology

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

But the play is more interested in perpetuating outdated iconography and othering Russia, rather than seeking meaning in its parallels to our own lives. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 22 Apr. 2024

Beyond the chandelier, the design collective uses the bowtie iconography popularized by Morris Lapidus in Miami. —David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2024

In more recent decades, Nazi iconography and vocabulary have adorned noise records by Whitehouse and Boyd Rice. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

On some of the stones found in the ruins, Arabic inscriptions, Byzantine iconography and Maltese crosses were found carved into the rock, according to the study. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

In the animations, Lola’s mental landscape is laid out, with baby iconography and relatives and friends and boyfriend all competing for attention, as versions of Lola attempt to navigate her thoughts around potential motherhood. —Catherine Bray, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024

Hawes utilizes that iconography and those story elements without exploiting or sensationalizing the material; the film is emotionally restrained in a way that is almost frustrating at times but ultimately reflects the character of Winton’s quiet, rather self-effacing personality. —Katie Walsh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024

Inclusive casting is one mode for change; iconography is another. —Adrienne Miller, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024

Tran’s striking product design helps: The iconography of the rooster picture (to commemorate the year of Tran’s birth, 1945, in the Chinese astrological calendar) and that jaunty green nozzle make a Huy Fong sriracha bottle hard to miss. —Indrani Sen, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2024

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