iconography

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noun ico·nog·ra·phy \ˌī-kə-ˈnä-grə-fē\

Definition of iconography

plural

iconographies

1 : pictorial material relating to or illustrating a subject
2 : the traditional or conventional images or symbols associated with a subject and especially a religious or legendary subject
3 : the imagery or symbolism of a work of art, an artist, or a body of art
4 : iconology

See iconography defined for English-language learners

Examples of iconography in a Sentence

the iconography of the 1960s

Recent Examples of iconography from the Web

That revelation allowed archaeologists to date the frescoes to the second half of the fourth century, when this iconography was common.

— elisabetta povoledo, New York Times, "Fresh Finds at Rome’s Ancient Catacombs", 30 May 2017
The German version of Wolfenstein underwent a lengthy localization and bowdlerization process to comply with laws that prohibit German videogames from using Nazi iconography like the swastika.

— gus mastrapa, WIRED, "Wolfenstein Recalled in Germany, Inglourious Basterds Still Fine", 23 Sep. 2009

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'iconography'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of iconography

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

First Known Use: 1678