UVM Libraries Research Guides: Religion: Popular Culture, Arts, and Iconography

Art and Iconography

*Iconography: study of the representation of otherwise unseen realities through coded means: such realities may include anything from God or gods to ideas;...Since religions have differing attitudes to the representation of the holy or the divine, each religion has a different iconographical style and content. (Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions)

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography : themes depicted in works of art
Call Number: REF N 7560 .E53 1998 (2 vols)

Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
This resource comprises the full text of the Grove Dictionary of Art and a number of other reference works published by Oxford University Press, including the Oxford Companion to Western Art.

Index of Medieval Art
Provides text descriptions and bibliographic references for works of art produced worldwide from early apostolic times up to the 16th century, with a particular emphasis and focus on art of the western world but an expanding collection of Jewish and Islamic art objects.
Note: The database is both text and image although some works of art may not have an accompanying image. Approximately thirty percent of the images, due to copyright laws, are restricted for public use and cannot be accessed by the public subscriber.

ARTstor This link opens in a new window
This resource provides images of artworks and cultural artifacts of a wide variety of types, including paintings, sculpture, photographs, prints, furniture, textiles, ceramics, and more from around the world. The collection can be searched by creator, time period, type of work or by region of origin.
Note:The ARTstor site will be retired as of August 1, 2024. Access to ARTstor materials will be through JSTOR.

Oxford Music Online
The premier reference work for the study of music and musicians, incorporating the major music encyclopedia and several other music reference sources, with useful bibliographies.

Encyclopaedia of Buddhist Deities, Demigods, Godlings, Saints and Demons with Special Focus on Iconographic Attributes
Call Number: REF BQ 130 .B88 1994 (2 vols)
Iconographic Dictionary of the Indian Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
Call Number: REF DS 503 .S77 vol. 5
Dictionary of Buddhist and Hindu Iconography, illustrated : objects, devices, concepts, rites, and related terms
Call Number: REF N 8193 .A4 B86 1997
Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography
Call Number: REF N 8195 .A4 S78 1985