Lydia Bauman Series of Three Lectures

Art, A Detective Story – Decoding Symbols in Paintings part ll

Paintings are silent but they want to tell us things – sometimes they tell simple stories, but sometimes they send subtle messages; messages which intend to elevate, educate, warn, or criticise. A medieval altarpiece, a Renaissance portrait, a Dutch still life, a Baroque ceiling painting, or a Victorian genre scene, all resort to symbolism to tell their stories. This two part talk looks at the rich tradition of symbols, attributes, personifications, emblems, and allegories used by artists through the ages to tell us so much more than meets the eye.

In the series:

Nov. 8: Looking for Georgia
Nov. 15: Decoding Symbols in Paintings part l
Nov. 22: Decoding Symbols in Paintings part lI