ikonology

Ikonology is a field of study concerned with interpreting visual symbols and imagery across cultures and historical periods. It examines how icons convey meaning, how audiences read symbols, and how context shapes interpretation. In many contexts, ikonology is used as a variant spelling or regional form of iconology (and is sometimes confused with iconography). The term is related to but distinct from iconography: while iconography catalogs subjects and motifs in art, ikonology focuses on meaning-making processes and cultural significance behind those images. The lineage traces to ikonology as developed by early art historians such as Erwin Panofsky, who argued that formal analysis of images requires historical interpretation of symbols, beliefs, and social structures.

In German-language scholarship, Ikonologie is the standard term; English usage favors iconology, but ikonology may appear in cross-linguistic work or as a modern rebranding to include digital icons and interfaces. Methods combine art-historical analysis, semiotics, cultural studies, and cognitive science to interpret imagery such as religious icons, political propaganda, or brand symbols. Researchers study symbolism, typology, iconostasis, color symbolism, allegory, and reception history, as well as the role of reproduction technologies in icon formation.

Applications span art history, religious studies, design, branding, and information architecture. In digital contexts, ikonology can address how interface icons convey function, affordance, and brand identity, as well as how icon sets encode cultural knowledge. The field remains interdisciplinary, balancing historical specificity with contemporary media.