This book decodes the imagery of more than 150 of the most influential and admired artworks of all time.

Explores the historical and cultural meanings of one thousand symbols commonly found in art and myth, grouped in the categories of heaven and Earth, characters and people, living creatures, mythical beasts, objects and artifacts, abstracts, and flowers, plants, and trees.

Iconography, the study of symbols - be they animals, artefacts, plants, shapes or gestures - is an essential element of art history. 0 This guide unravels over fifty of the most common and intriguing visual symbols from across the globe from 2300 BCE to the present day. While symbols cross dialects and national boundaries, their meanings can vary and are often culturally specific. The snake, an object of fascination and mysticism in Aztec culture,...

Graveyards don't exist merely to shelter the dead. They also nurture the living. In fact, America's garden cemeteries were our nation's first public parks. People used to visit cemeteries not only to mourn the dead, but to have a pleasant day in nature with their family. "Understanding Cemetery Symbols" by Tui Snider helps history buffs, genealogists, ghost hunters and other curiosity seekers decode the forgotten meanings of the symbols our ancestors...

Embark on a unique artistic journey with The Art of Map Illustration! In this stunning book, visual storytellers, artists, and map enthusiasts alike will discover how to create a variety of bold, colorful, and lively maps using pen and ink, watercolor, mixed media, and digital art tools - step by step! Under the guidance and encouragement of four gifted map artists, aspiring mapmakers will learn how to work with the basic tools of the trade, as well...

There are no rules, and even less justice. Death takes everyone without discrimination. Sometimes it is accidental - like Signorelli, who fell from scaffolding. Sometimes it is expected, as with the diabetic Cezanne, who wrote "I am old, sick, and I swore to die while painting". But often, researching a painter's death is an easier task than determining which of their works is truly their 'last'. Paintings tend to be dated by year and not month, inciting...