Art & Art History

This page has materials related to medieval Christian saints in art.

Art Reference Books      Books      Identify Articles      Medieval Christian Saints in Art on the Web 

Three of the books in this section are must-see for this topic! 1, 2 , 3. Other reference books listed here are useful too, so do not neglect them.

Book of Saints. BX 4655.3 .B66 2002 Ref.

Brief entries on saints.

Dent Dictionary of Symbols in Christian Art. N 7825 .S68 1994 Ref

This is a must-see (1). Look up object and find out what it signifies.

Dictionary of Art. 34 vols. N 31 .D5 1996 Reference.  Online link Art Online available to CSU affiliates.

The major book on art. Extensive entries, most with bibliographies. Search online by keyword or browse by article title, contributor, or index. Look up country or group. Online search includes articles from The Oxford Companion to Western Art (listed below), so be sure to cite carefully. Look up the name of the specific country of interest for background information and kinds of artwork produced. Search for images from collections, too. Search for images, for example, a specific saint, in the Bridgeman Art Library (Images-->Bridgeman). Highly recommended.

Dictionary of Saints. BX 4655.8 .D44 1982 Ref

Entries on saints. Gives biographical information.

Dictionary of Symbols in Western Art. N 7740 .C29 1995 Ref

Dictionary of Women in Religious Art. N 7793 .W65 A66 1998 Ref

Directory of Saints. BX 4656.5 .S26 1996 Ref

By who patron saint thereof. For example: art, libraries, and teachers. Gives brief biographical information.

Encyclopedia of Saints. BX 4655.8 .G86 2001 Ref

This is a must-see (2). Provides biographical information. Depending upon the saint, includes meaning of name, other names ("also known as"), when beatified, feast day, and/or a bibliography ("further reading"). There are a few black and white images in this reference book.

Encyclopedia of World Art. 15 vols. N 31 .E533 Reference

See entry on Saints, Iconography of (Vol. 12) on pp. 641-669 (half-page pages, which is unusual). Huge bibliography.

Encyclopedia of Comparative Iconography: Themes Depicted in Works of Art. 2 vols. N 7560 .E53 1998 Ref

This is a must-see (3) for this topic.

Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art. N 7740 .H35 1994 Ref

Facts on File Encyclopedia of Art. 5 vols. N 31 .F33 2005 Reference

See Vols. 3 and 4, selected sections. Vol. 1 has table of contents; you might want to look at that first.

The Oxford Companion to Western Art. N 33 .O923 2001 Reference

Comprehensive entries on artists, movements, museums, methods, materials (e.g. chalk), eras, etc. As an example, the entry on perspective has 41 explanatory or example figures. Search online in Dictionary of Art (above).

Post-Biblical Saints Art Index. N 8079.5 .R63 1994 Ref

List of saints in art with brief description of artworks and their location.

Identify books on Medieval Christian saints in general (and specific kinds) in the library catalog. Identify additional titles in Prospector, the Colorado Union Catalog. CSU affiliates may request items from Prospector. Search the following terms using a Subject search; be sure to look at the subdivisions as well, when available. (These are Library of Congress Subject Headings.) Some of the subjects below have only one or two books about them at CSU.

Search for a specific artist by doing both an author search (last name first) and subject search (also last name first); there may be overlap, but do both to make sure nothing is missed; look at subdivision titles as well (e.g. [artist] criticism and interpretation):

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi Da 1573 1610
Giotto 1266 1337

Specific books of interest; these are in circulating collections; be sure to check the library catalog for availability. If checked out, see if there is a Prospector copy available (CSU affiliates only):

• Early Medieval Art. N5970 .N44 2002 Morgan
• Encyclopedia of Medieval Church Art. N 7943.A1 T37 1993 Morgan
• Lives of the Saints . ( Butler). 4 vols. BX 4654 .B8 1962 Morgan
• The Medieval Cult of Saints: Formations and Transformations . BX4659.E85 A26 1997 Morgan
• Patrons, Painters, and Saints: Studies in Medieval Italian Painting. ND613 .G27 1993 Morgan
• Saints, Sinners, and Sisters: Gender and Northern Art in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. N7630 .S25 2003 Morgan
• Soldiers of Christ: Saints and Saints Lives from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. BX 4659 .E85 S65 1995 Morgan
• The World of the Saints. N 8079.5 .W65513 2005 Oversz

Use the following indexes/databases to identify articles by topic, for example, about an artist. Search for articles about a specific artist by the artist's name (leave out his or her country, century, etc.; adding unnecessary terms will only harm your search). JSTOR is full text for items at least 3-5 years old; check  for electronic and/or print ownership (found in the library catalog) in the other databases. Check the catatlog for articles identified in the print indexes. The terms listed are starting suggestions that vary by topic; be sure to do additional searches that match your specific research needs.

Academic Search Premier. Varies.

Christian art & symbolism
ART & religion

Art Abstracts. 1984- . Also in print, scattered years from 1932-1998; Z 5937 .A78 Reference

Christian art and symbolism
Saints in art 
Iconography, Renaissance 
Iconography, Baroque 
Iconography, Medieval
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint, and Child in art

Art Index Retrospective 1929-1984.

Saints--Exhibitions 
Illuminated Manuscripts, British 
Icons (Religion)

Digital Dissertations and Theses.

There might be a source of interest, but do not spend a lot of time looking. Be sure to check any bibliographies for suggestions of things to read.

JSTOR. Varies.

There are over 28,000 articles (limited to these types, articles on search page) that mention "saint and art." Add "medieval" and there are still over 8600 articles. Some of the articles include high quality images. Search for a specific saint and add art. For example, All of the Words: Saint Jerome Art.

New York Times Historical 1851- .

Exhibits and recent purchases might have information of interest, but do not spend a long time looking if not finding relevant materials.

Palmer's Index to the Times (London). 1790-1941. AI 21 .T51 Microtext. The Times newspaper is found at AN .T5 Microtext (Basement) on Microfilm. Also online in Times Digital Archive.

Web of Science (search Arts & Humanities Citation Index 1975- within).

There might be articles of interest, but do not spend a lot of time looking.

This section has links to items found on the Web. Be sure to evaluate what you find. Pages are divided by the following topics: Specifically on Saints; Bibliographies on Library Web Sites; Links to Multiple Sites; Architecture; and Summaries, Examples, Definitions.

Medieval History. Colorado State University Libraries.

History page, but items do refer to works of art. Includes links to primary sources on the Web.

Specifically on Saints

Dr Graham Jones: Aids for Studying Saints' Cults - and the Middle Ages. University of Leicester.

A number of links to informative sites (a large percentage of which do not work). Annotated. Many sites linked to are not in English.

Saints' Lives. Internet Medieval Sourcebook.

Primary sources about saints from a number of geographical locations.

Symbols of the Saints in Art. Fish Eaters.

Covers contemporary as well as Medieval saints, but provides clear descriptions of how the listed saints are depicted and what they have near or next to them.

Bibliographies on Library Web Sites

Check the library catalog for CSU holdings of books and journal articles listed on the Web pages in this section. CSU does not have some of the databases mentioned; be sure to go to the "A-Z Databases" page to check for ownership and to access any of the databases we do own; CSU affiliates MUST go through the "A-Z Databases" page (or direct link from CSU Libraries page) in order to access proprietary (non-free) resources. 

Medieval & Byzantine History: A Guide to Reference Sources in the Architecture/Fine Arts Library and Beyond. Liv Valmestad. Architecture and Fine Arts. University of Manitoba Libraries.

Bibliography of resources. Arranged by: General Works and Encyclopedias; Medieval & Byzantine Maps & Timelines; Medieval & Byzantine Art Survey Books; Medieval & Byzantine Art Documents & Sources; Iconography: General Subject Dictionaries; Christian Subjects; Christian Subjects Websites; Medieval & Byzantine Studies Web Sites; and Style Guides/Writing About Art.

Medieval Art Bibliography - Jewish, Early Christian and Byzantine Art. Art History Theory. University of Chicago.

List of sources on the topic.

ART 5120/4072. The Medieval Cult of Saints. Dr. Mickey Abel. Rebecca Barham-Johnson. Willis Library. University of North Texas.

Bibliography created for course. Most useful section for CSU researchers is the list of books.

Medieval Cult of Saints. Joni Hand at the CUNY Graduate Center.

Bibliography of books. In alphabetical order by author. A few items are not in English.

Research Guide to Christianity and the Visual Arts (PDF). Noel S. McFerran. Kelly Library. University of St. Michael’s College Library.

Five page annotated list of resources that specifically address topics of interest. Arranged by: Dictionaries; Encyclopedic Works; Handbooks of Symbols; Other Useful Works; Journal Indexes and Abstracts; Image Galleries on the Internet.

Women in Medieval Society. Agnes Widder. Michigan State University. 2009.

List of guides, bibliographies, indexes, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, biographies, and major library catalogs. Selectively annotated.

Reminder: Check the library catalog for CSU holdings of books and journal articles listed on the Web pages in this section. CSU does not have some of the databases mentioned; be sure to go to the "A-Z Databases" page to check for ownership and to access any of the databases we do own; CSU affiliates MUST go through the "A-Z Databases" page (or direct link from CSU Libraries page) in order to access proprietary (non-free) resources. 

Links to Multiple Sites

Early Medieval Art. Art History Resources on the Web. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. Professor, Dept of Art History. Sweet Briar College, Virginia.

Art resources linked by time period and topic. Sites linked to are not always in English. Extensive.

Art. NetSERF.

Links to six sites with art on the Web. Annotated. Sites linked to can be extensive. (First linked item listed on this page.)

Architecture

Links for the Study of Medieval Art, Architecture, and Society. Michael Tinkler. Hobart & William Smith Colleges.

Links to sites on the Web related to the topic. Some are briefly annotated.

Images of Medieval Art and Architecture. Medieval Architecture. Alison Stones.

"The purpose of this site is to promote education and research in Medieval art and architecture." See images and learn more about Chartres, Vézelay (these first two quite extensive), Autun (Cathedral of St. Lazare), Moissac, Saint-Denis, West Facade of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, Poitiers- Notre Dame la Grande, and Toulouse-SSernin. Pages have images, descriptions, links to definitions (glossary), Depth and details vary; images in color and black and white. There are plans to expand the site, funds permitting.

Amiens Cathedral Project.

Many photographs (most in black and white) taken from various angles of this cathedral--exterior and interior. Drawings and computer graphics too.

Medieval Architecture. David Ross and Britain Express.

English cathedral styles are briefly described. This is a site of interest to travelers going to England. Regions are sorted within by type of site: abbeys and monasteries, castles, historic houses, prehistoric ruins, etc.

Medieval New York. Paul Halsall. Fordham University.

Sites in New York with Medieval-style architecture. Description of the different styles with examples.

Summaries, Examples, Definitions

Medieval Art. Eyecon Art. Robin Urton.

Summary and examples of medieval art. Includes icon images and architectural styles. Most images in color.

Relics and Reliquaries in Medieval Christianity. Medieval Europe. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Background and definitions. Some examples that have images and descriptions.

Religion, Myth, & Magic. California State University. Our Collection.

A number of these link to non-Christian art material, but more than one is Christian art, a number with images of saints.