Signs & Symbols in Christian Art: with Illustrations from Paintings of the Renaissance, Unabridged Edition

First published in 1954, this comprehensive book about the sources and uses of signs and symbols in Christian art is for the first time presented in a popular edition, complete and unabridged. Beautifully illustrated from paintings by outstanding Renaissance artists, the text explains simply and clearly the meaning of signs and symbols. A universal language which grew out of Christian man's experience, it reached its fullness in Christian symbolism and we see its outward and visible expression in the great religious art of the Renaissance. The author brings an unusual freshness to a subject which as interested more and more people in recent years. Symbolism is a vital part of all our lives. It is of real interest to discover how certain symbols came into being, what they stand for, and how they were used by artists. The book is a lasting contribution to the field of artistic and religious symbolism, simplifying and beautifying a subject about which so little has been known. A complete index of all the signs and symbols makes the material instantly available to the reader. George Wells Ferguson (1899-1973) was the first Rector of St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson, Ariz. This Parish has been increasingly interested in the use of creative art methods in elementary education, and discovered the natural appeal and application of signs and symbols in religious art as common ground for instruction. Out of this recognition the vast realm of Christian symbolism was assembled into a concise, orderly, and accessible book. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation granted permission to illustrate the text from their magnificent and comprehensive collection of Renaissance art. There are sixteen illustrations in full color, and ninety-six pages of black-and-white plates faithfully reproduced under the supervision of the Phaidon Press, London. The 250 marginal drawings were done by Mark Voris, Assistant Professor of Art the University of Arizona, and Enid Bell.