Eikonology

/aɪkəˈnɒlədʒi/ noun

Definition

The study and interpretation of images, symbols, and icons, particularly in art and religious contexts.

Etymology

From Greek 'eikon' (image) + '-logia' (study of), forming a compound meaning the systematic study or science of images and their meanings.

Kelly Says

Art historians use this to decode hidden meanings in paintings—like how a skull in a Renaissance portrait symbolizes death—turning visual analysis into a detective game of symbolic language.

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