For the first time in English, available in one source, An Introduction to Iconography explains the ways artists use references and allusions to create meaning. The book presents the historical, theoretical, and practical aspects of iconography and ICONCLASS, the comprehensive iconographical indexing system developed by Henri van de Waal. Topics such as the history of iconography, personification, allegory, and symbols receive special emphasis.

Added features include annotated bibliographies of books and journal articles from around the world that are associated with iconographic research. This comprehensive guide, with its more than 60 illustrations, offers a readable and ready source for the subject.