gems, history of gemology,

A classic tool for Renaissance studies, this dictionary explains the meaning and origins of the many attributes and symbols used by humanists, artists, and intellectuals of the 15th and 16th centuries. Now finally reissued in a completely revised edition that incorporates the 1964 supplement, this essential reference work helps modern readers recover a symbolic language that has largely been lost. It offers those interested in the art of the period a reliable way to rediscover its visual vocabulary, moving from the known to the unknown—since in any composition, no matter how obscure or complex, one element is often recognizable: a rose, a unicorn, or an anchor. For each symbol reflected in Renaissance art, the book also strives to trace its sources of inspiration. An index of “immaterial entities” and another of names make the dictionary especially easy to consult.