The Hidden Language of Symbols

A stimulating resource that guides readers through the most significant symbols from art history, spanning many civilizations and centuries while revealing the common heritage of a global visual language. 

The Hidden Language of Symbols covers a wide-ranging selection of visual culture and art under one unified theme: symbols. Often not immediately apparent, our day-to-day lives abound with symbols of various kinds, from national emblems to emojis, allegories to logos, all of which have a fascinating story.

Organized across four all-encompassing themes―power, faith, hope, and uncertainty―this stimulating illustrated account of forty-eight key symbols from global art history is aimed at museum-goers, armchair art sleuths, or anyone who wants to understand the history of their visual environment from an unusual and creative angle. Drawing on artistic examples from the imaginary, natural, physical, and religious worlds, from dragons to eagles, butterflies to labyrinths, and rainbows to wheels, author and art historian Matthew Wilson discusses the lives of these different types of symbols. Analyzing their development, why they evolved, and the various ways they have been interpreted, Wilson also explains in what way symbols are markers of identity, that is, how they gain the power to unite and divide societies. Looking at how they have shaped the world beyond the museum, Wilson reveals their impact on the appearance of our cities, the language of advertising, and even the design of corporate logos. 

249 color illustrations

Matthew Wilson is a writer, art historian, and educator. He has written about art and culture for numerous publications, including The Economist, The Spectator, and BBC Culture, and is an accredited lecturer at The Arts Society. He is the author of Symbols in Art, The Hidden Language of Symbols, and Art Unpacked: 50 Works of Art: Uncovered, Explored, Explained.