ikonografia

Ikonografia is the study of visual imagery, symbols, and their meanings in art and culture. The term covers the identification, description, and interpretation of subject matter represented in images, from religious scenes and saints to mythological, historical, and secular motifs. It examines what images depict, the symbols they employ, and the conventions that shape their reception within specific historical and cultural contexts.

Historically, ikonografia has been central to efforts to read images as texts. It is closely linked to iconology, the theory-informed analysis of how meaning is produced through form, composition, and cultural codes. A foundational approach is Panofsky’s method, which outlines three levels: pre-iconographic description (recognizing elements), iconographic analysis (identifying subjects and motifs), and iconological interpretation (explaining underlying ideas and cultural values).

Scope and typology include religious iconography, such as depictions of saints and biblical narratives, as well as mythological, historical, and allegorical imagery. The field also extends to secular art, portraiture, imperial propaganda, and modern visual languages. Iconography often requires cross-cultural comparison and attention to patronage, workshop practices, inscriptions, and contextual meaning.

Methods employed in ikonografia involve cataloging motifs, tracing sources and influences, and situating images within religious, social, and political frameworks. Distinctions are made between ikonografia (the identification of subject matter and motifs) and ikonology (the interpretive framework that explains significance).

In contemporary scholarship, ikonografia informs art history, religious studies, archaeology, and visual culture. Digitized image databases and interdisciplinary approaches have broadened analysis, while critics emphasize careful contextualization to avoid over-interpretation.