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

The font also fits seamlessly into the iconography of Goosebumps source material. —Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

In their work, the artists integrated symbols, iconography and ideas that spoke directly to the Chicano community. —Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2024

The couple’s infant son wore a white T-shirt with patriotic iconography, too. —Julia Teti, WWD, 31 July 2024

Decades later, that statement remains true, as authors, Hollywood producers, celebrities, and more continue to evoke her iconography more than 60 years after her tragic death. —Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin īconographia "making of images," borrowed from Greek eikonographía "sketch, description" (Late Greek, "making of images"), from eikono- icono- + -graphia -graphy

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 2