Research Guides: A Guide to Art & Art History: Specialized Resources

Iconography and Symbolism

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of Art - Ref N 7560 .E53 1998
The purpose of this interesting work is to show how fundamental cultural narratives and themes have been represented in the arts. Includes both stories and general themes such as abandonment, envy, and ecstasy. Each essay ends with lists of works that employ the theme and selected secondary sources. There are 7 indexes to enable seeking out names, Biblical themes, literary references, mythological references, etc.
Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art - Ref N 7740 .H35 1996
Includes brief discussion of the significance of symbols from Egypt, the ancient Near East, Christian Europe, India, and the Far East. The work is divided into categories: abstracts signs, animals, artifacts, earth and sky, human body and dress, plants, and "collectives" of concepts, deities, and ideas. Illustrated with 600 drawings.
Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts, 1300-1900s - Ref NX 650 .M9 R45 1993
Links Classical subjects and Western art, cataloging under topics, the various expressions of each topic in the fine arts, music, dance, and literature. While it does not claim to be exhaustive, it does provide background information and intriguing connections; includes bibliographic references to published sources for the art works listed.

Films on Demand History Collection
A collection of over 50,800 documentaries, educational videos, interviews, speeches, and newsreels covering the ancient world to the present day. You can use pre-made clips, full videos, and custom segments for teaching and learning. Tip: to limit your search by subtopic, use the filters at the top of the search results list.

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