Iconography in art: how visual imagery and symbols convey meaning

Iconography in Art: Reading the Visual Language Behind the Image

Let me ask you something: when you look at a painting, do you only see what’s on the surface, or do you hear a story, a belief, a moment in time? That story is the heart of iconography—the visual imagery and symbols used in artworks. On OSAT assessments, you’ll often encounter questions that test your ability to spot these symbols, understand what they meant to the people who made the work, and explain what the artist was trying to communicate. In other words, iconography isn’t just about what you see; it’s about what those images say.

What exactly is iconography?

Here’s the thing: iconography is the study of symbols and motifs as they appear in art. It goes beyond “what is depicted” to ask, “why this image? what idea is being conveyed? how does the symbol connect to culture, religion, or social life?” Symbols can be objects, animals, gestures, or even certain poses. They carry layered meanings that viewers in the artist’s own time would have recognized right away—and that modern viewers can interpret with careful looking and some context.

So, why does iconography matter? Because symbols anchor messages.

• They tell stories: A cross might signal Christian themes; a dove can suggest peace or the Holy Spirit, depending on the era.

• They reveal beliefs and values: Animals like the lion or the eagle often stand for strength or empire; the lotus might point to spiritual transcendence in Asian art.

• They reflect culture and history: Iconography shifts over time. A symbol that feels sacred in one culture can feel ordinary or even puzzling in another.

If you’re studying for the OSAT, you’ll notice how a single image can carry multiple meanings, layered one on top of another. The artist might be inviting you to read the narrative closely, to track how symbols reinforce the overall message of the work.

A practical guide to reading iconography

Reading iconography is like detective work with a brush. Here’s a simple, reliable approach you can use in your notes or in exams:

1. Identify the imagery

• List what you see: people, animals, objects, landscapes, gestures.

• Note any recurring motifs or motifs that seem central to the piece.

2. Recall common symbols

• Some symbols are widely used, but pay attention to context.

• A mother and child often signals maternity or care; mythic beasts can signal power or danger; natural motifs like branches or water can symbolize life, renewal, or emotion.

3. Interpret the symbolism

• Ask: What might this symbol mean in the culture and time period of the artwork?

• Consider the mood the artist creates. Is it hopeful, somber, celebratory?

4. Check the context

• Time period, place, and the artist’s background matter. A symbol can shift meaning when the cultural context changes.

• Look for patronage clues: who commissioned the work, and what beliefs or goals might they want reflected?

5. Connect to the whole artwork

• How do the symbols support the story or message? Do the figures’ expressions, their placement, or the scene’s composition reinforce a particular idea?

• Watch for contrasts: symbols that agree with the main theme and symbols that challenge it.

A few symbols worth keeping on your mental field guide

Symbols are like shortcuts to bigger ideas. Here are a handful that pop up often and what they tend to convey, with the caveat that meaning can bend across cultures and periods:

• The dove: often peace or the Holy Spirit in Christian art; in other contexts, purity or a gentle messenger.

• The lamb: innocence, Christ, sacrifice.

• The cross: Christian faith, sacrifice, salvation.

• The egg, the phoenix, or the snake: cycles of life, rebirth, danger, or wisdom.

• The skull or hourglass: mortality, the passage of time, memento mori.

• The lotus: spiritual purity, enlightenment, rebirth in many Asian traditions.

• Animals as totems: strength (lion), wisdom (owl), resilience (bear), cunning (fox)—but watch for symbolic shifts in different cultures.

A quick glance at art history examples

To anchor this, think about a few well-known cases where iconography does heavy lifting:

• Renaissance altarpieces: Saints, biblical scenes, and saints’ halos don’t just decorate the scene; they cue viewers to moral values and theological messages. The placement of figures and the presence of symbolic objects—like a chalice, a sword, or a book—guide your interpretation of who is righteous and what the moment means.

• Sacred cycles in medieval art: The Nativity, the Passion, and the Resurrection are packed with motifs that tell a narrative. Even without words, a viewer would have recognized the sequence, the divine logic, and the stakes of the story.

• Modern allegory and social commentary: In some 20th-century works, artists repurpose familiar symbols to critique war, politics, or identity. The symbols might look familiar, but their twist invites you to rethink what the image is saying about society.

Where iconography shows up in OSAT-style thinking

In assessments, iconography questions aren’t just about spotting symbols; they’re about decoding meaning in context. You might be asked to:

• Identify the symbol and explain what it likely represents within the artwork’s culture.

• Compare how two works use similar symbols to convey different messages.

• Analyze how the placement of symbols and figures contributes to the viewer’s understanding of the narrative.

One clue for success is to bundle your observations: “I see X symbol, which in this culture often stands for Y; in this piece, the context Z makes me read it as A rather than B.” That kind of reasoning shows you’re connecting imagery to meaning, not just describing what you see.

Practical tools and resources

If you want to sharpen your iconography chops, here are practical routes that stay true to the OSAT’s expectations without getting bogged down in heavy theory:

• Museum catalogs and wall labels: Practice reading the text that accompanies artworks. Authors often explain symbols and motifs in accessible terms.

• Reputable online encyclopedias and museum sites: The Met, the British Museum, and Smarthistory offer clear explanations of symbols in many works.

• Quick symbol dictionaries: A compact reference can be handy for cross-cultural symbols, but use them as starting points and always check the specific context of the piece you’re studying.

• Compare with related works: Look at how different artists in the same era handle similar symbols. Notice what changes and what stays the same.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Even seasoned viewers slip up here, so a quick heads-up:

• Don’t assume a symbol means the same thing everywhere. Context matters.

• Don’t treat symbols as decorations. They’re loaded with meaning and purpose.

• Don’t ignore the human element. The way figures are posed, their expressions, and their interactions often amplify the symbol’s message.

• Don’t overreach. Some symbols are ambiguous by design. It’s okay to present plausible readings rather than a single “correct” answer.

A little bit of natural curiosity goes a long way

Iconography invites you to slow down and listen to the image. You’ll notice that symbols don’t merely “decorate.” They’re tools for storytelling, lens for culture, and sometimes a window into the artist’s world view. When you blend visual analysis with a sense of context, you’re not just describing what’s there—you’re interpreting what the work is trying to say.

Here’s a playful way to keep it human and humanistic: next time you look at a painting, name three symbols you notice, then ask yourself what you think they meant to the people who made it. If you’re uncertain, track down a little context about the time period or belief system that could influence those symbols. If a symbol feels charged or controversial, that’s a good clue to examine the work more closely and ask, “What message is the artist sending, and who might be listening?”

Closing thoughts: reading pictures as conversations

Iconography reminds us that art speaks in a language of images. The visual vocabulary—colors, figures, objects, and poses—comes wrapped in history, faith, and social life. The next time you encounter a painting or sculpture, treat it as a conversation: the artist starts the dialogue, the symbols answer, and the cultural backdrop provides the setting for understanding.

If you carry this approach with you, you’ll find that reading art becomes less about memorizing symbols and more about listening to the stories those symbols tell. In that listening, you’ll uncover why certain images endure, why others fade, and how artists across time use imagery to shape meaning for their viewers—and for you, in this moment, as well.

That’s iconography in action: a small key that unlocks a much larger conversation. And when you bring curiosity, careful looking, and a bit of context to the table, you’ll see how an image can carry a whole world inside it—one symbol at a time.