Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art

Synopsis

Now in a new, second edition, James Hall's classic text of subject and theme in Western art has become the definitive work by which others are compared.The understanding and enjoyment of a work of art depends as much on the story it depicts as on the artist's execution of it. But what were once biblical or classical common-places are not so readily recognizable today. This book relates in a succinct and readable way the themes, sacred and secular, on which the repertoire of Western art is based.Here in a single volume are combined religious, classical and historical themes, the figures of moral allegory and characters from romantic poetry that established themselves through paintings and sculpture in Western art before and after the Renaissance. More than just a dictionary, James Hall places these subjects in their narrative, historical or mythological context with extensive cross-referencing that enhance and clarify the meanings of these themes for the reader.This volume has become an indispensable book for students and general appreciators to understand the subject matter of art, about the stories it tells and the people it portrays. Newly revised, this second edition includes an insert of images chosen by the author, also with a new preface and index that highlights the ideas, beliefs and social and religious customs that form the background of much of this subject matter.