Saints in Art (Guide to Imagery Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Stefano Zuffi (Editor), Thomas Michael Hartmann (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Christian saints have been the objects of reverence and fascination throughout the past two millennia. Their likenesses, heroic acts, prayerful lives, and stories of martyrdom have been portrayed frequently in art of diverse media. Unfamiliar with the saints and their images and symbols, viewers of art may find it challenging to identify, for example, which saint is represented as a monk with an axe through his head, or a beautiful girl holding a wheel, or a woman carrying her eyes on a plate.

From Agatha to Zeno, Francis of Assisi to Mary Magdalene, Saints in Arti presents the characteristic features of more than one hundred saints often encountered in sacred Western art. Each saint is introduced by a practical list of his or her unique attributes. Entries also include notes on the saints' lives and a series of visual references to help the reader recognize these exemplary figures, their histories, and their special devotions. This useful resource is illustrated with a stunning collection of masterpieces.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Italian

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Product Details

• Paperback: 383 pages
• Publisher: Getty Publications (April 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892367172
• ISBN-13: 978-0892367177
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #32 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Religious
  #51 in	Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Science
  #84 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity > Catholicism > Saints

• This item is part of The Guide to Imagery Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars everything i wanted, October 12, 2005

By	Deva Robbins - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this book is awesome! it has info on over 100 saints commonly found in art. stuff like name, time and place of earthly life,what they did, patronage,special devotions, connections to other saints, when they became saints and their feast days are easily found on the sidebar. there is a little biography and then a collection of maybe three paintings and an explanation of who is in the painting and what they are doing as well as the meanings of the objects they are pictured with. for instance, if i ever see a painting of a woman with her hair down pictured with a container of oil or ointment i will know it is mary magdalene. a t-shaped cane is an emblem of St. Anthony Abbot, etc. super useful saint painting decoder.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holy writ!, May 13, 2005

By	Edward Holgate (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This title originally comes from the popular Dizionari dell'Arte series by Italian publishers Electa and we should be thankful that the Getty has taken on the task of translating these fabulous reference books into English. Saints in Art is an important source not only for the iconography and hagiography of the principal saints in art but on the great visual history of European painting (with an emphasis on Italian). Lavishly illustrated. I highly recommend it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What about that guy with the axe in his head?, January 27, 2007

By	Linda "katknit" (CT, United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Books with stories that you can leaf through, without reading linearly from cover to cover, are always fun, and for lovers of medieval art, Saints is one of the best. Lushly illustrated, and formatted somewhat like a travel guide, the mini-biographies summarize what is known about each saint. Representative art works are provided, accompanied by sidebars and annotations with arrows that point out key features. Saints in Art is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to decipher the symbology and iconography contained in the religious works, great and small.