Paper Sample on Iconography and Iconology

Introduction

Iconography is the visual images and symbols. These symbols and images are used in the artwork as well as the study and interpretation of these. It can also be a collection of portraits and illustrations. Iconology, conversely, is the study of the visual imagery and its symbolism, including interpretation, mostly in the social and political terms. There is a difference between iconography and ecology, where iconography refers to the description and the classification of imagery and iconology is the interpretation of these images' meanings. "Death of Socrates" is what this paper will be focusing one.

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A well-known painter has painted the painting in the neo-classical era, and the painter is known as David Jacques-Louis. The artist has been doing the painting for a long period. Socrates's death is one of his paintings that depicts the regret and sorrow derived from the act, where it figures out Socrates' commitment, including sacrifice on all his jobs as a philosopher. The paper will show and explain the iconography and iconology as they are used in the painting. Despite the paper, there will be different discussions to explain why the picture was named Socrates's death and the reason behind his death.

Symbols

Gestures, subjects as well as iconography and symbols are used in the painting. There is an older man on a white rob spotted sitting upright on the bed from the painting. One of his hands extends a cup, whereas the other hand is gesturing in the air. Other men are surrounding him, who seems to be of varying ages.

They are all showing that they are emotionally distressed by something, unlike the stoic older man. The man giving the cup to this other older man seems to be looking another way, and his hand is on his free face. Another man is seen and seems to be clutching the thigh of this older man.

There is another elderly like a man sitting at the very end of the same bed looking on his lap. Lastly, some men are seen in an arch set on the wall's background to the very end.

The visible symbols include the chains which are at the bottom. There is also a little metal hook on the upper side of the picture. The windows with bars on them are also seen. The title becomes the death of Socrates.

The story is the symbol of everything that was believed in. Therefore, the symbol's usage tries to show that there is indeed a death about to occur.

From what is visible, that is the symbols that are seen as stated earlier. The context of iconography can be explained in artwork that basically, there has been something done by someone. Hence, they prefer to kill them. The painting that has been used by the painter is also symbolic and trying to communicate something. Avid has used color to highlight emotion in the painting of this image.

Different Context

There are the shades in red color and seem to be more muted oh the edge of the painting hence becoming more vibrant in the middle. They culminate on the red colored dark robe on the man holding the cup of what is said to be poison.

It generally shows that he is taking the cup to Socrates rather than having it just after consuming the cup's contents. Davis also Signs the painting into two places. At first, he outs his full signature in full under Crito, the man who is clutching Socrates's thigh.

Symbols and icons are in a different context. Symbols' idea will make an idea to be well understood by the individuals who are viewing the painting. The use of symbols gives an idea of what the picture or painting is about. Every symbol has its definition according to the individuals. That is why once the individual gets to see any symbol on a painting, they easily understand what the image or painting is all about.

Using a Greek religious concept by Rome shows that they all believe in gods. Symbols in any art age are usually used to attract individuals by having their attention to get interested in learning more about a certain picture or image that they are viewing.

The Greco-Roman subjects are used in the symbols by drawing them just as they are to appear as Arabic. The people in the renaissance age would care about the Ancient Greco roman gods since they also believed in these gods and praised them. That way, they would consider these gods as their own and further keep them to praise them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the iconography or the use of symbols is essential in every art. As discussed in the paper, they are used by those seeing the picture to understand what the picture entails. Besides, for those who analyze the paintings or study them, they use these symbols to understand the paintings deeper.

Bibliography

Dubai, Mathias Fubah, and Molemo Ramphalile. "The shifting iconography of drinking horns in the Western Grassfields, Cameroon." Cogent Social Sciences 3, no. 1 (2017): 1375598.

Orrell, Estelle, and Liora Kolska Horwitz. "The pre-iconography, iconography, and iconology of a sixth to fifth millennium BC Near Eastern incised bone." Time and Mind 9, no. 1 (2016): 3-42.

Ranjan, Ritesh. "Iconography & Iconology: An Analytical Study of Panofsky’s Readings & It’s Importance in Art History." Purakala with ISSN 0971-2143 is a UGC CARE Journal 31, no. 9 (2020): 442-447.