Iconologia. Or, Moral emblems

The Iconologia by Cesare Ripa was originally envisaged as a companion and decoder for the symbolism usually encountered in the baroque period, most notably in emblem books, but since then it has become infinitely more. In the world of baroque art it was vital to see the grandeur, but also to understand the emotional meaning. All was changing in the world but through the Iconologia at least the most beautiful could be comprehensible. As a result it was considered highly informative in the 17th century and was released in several editions over the years. There is even evidence that this book informed the symbolism of artists working at the time, as well as documenting the forms already in use and developing at a rapid pace.

The need for an understanding of religious and baroque imagery is far from done and for the art historian this book is truly irreplaceable. It was palpably important to know what it meant if your local church replaced its drab white washed walls with grandiose symbolism and murals, to the people of the period. One needed to know whether the piece of art under consideration was for the establishment or for a new wave when deciding whether to tut or cheer. These artists expressed their pain, their sensuality and their faith in these works. In trying to understand their art, their lives and their coded messages, we can still rely on Cesare Ripa now.

Open the book and allow the raw emotion to move you through the pages.