Catholica: The Visual Culture of Catholicism

(Hardback)

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Description

A clear, concise and detailed analysis of the eclectic and beautiful visual and material culture of Catholicism.

Focusing on a carefully curated selection of Catholic art and artefacts, this book explains the meaning of the iconography and the mystic power of the faith's ritual objects. A wealth of often hidden symbols are identified and examined close up, building into a catalogue of key visual symbols for readers to use to interpret all Catholic visual and material culture.

The book is organized into three parts - Tenet, Locus and Spiritus - each containing three themed chapters. The first part introduces the centrepieces of the faith, explaining the symbolism in the artistic representation of the holy family, apostles and saints, and in stories from scripture. The second part examines places of worship, identifying the constituent parts of the cathedral and presenting evocative images of roadside shrines. The third part explores celebrations and traditions, including personal devotional tools and jewelry.

For each of the nine themed chapters, illustrated introductory text is followed by a spread-by-spread presentation of the key figures, the key stories and the key iconography relevant to each theme. Paintings and artefacts are examined in detail, identifying and explaining the symbolism and the stories depicted in each. As the book progresses, readers will build up knowledge of the entire Catholic visual code - the symbols that define Catholic practice, the attributes of the saints, the parts of the cathedral - allowing them to interpret Catholic imagery and objects wherever they find them and to understand the tenets, sites and rituals of the faith.

Reviews

A succinct primer with good design... A solid introduction to the various ways that Christian, and specifically Catholic, ideas are intertwined with much European art history and material culture... After exploring this book's thorough yet accessible analysis, readers will be empowered to recognize saints and episodes from the Bible without needing to rely on the wall text.-- "Hyperallergic (One of Hyperallergic's Best Art Books of 2022)"
Expertly distill[s] two millennia of Catholic art into one invigorating cultural survey... Particularly engrossing is Ivanic's scrupulous 'decoding' of spiritual symbolism that pervades everything from the intricate flourishes of cathedral facades to street murals and secular paintings... Art connoisseurs will be mesmerized by this sumptuous and superbly written guide.-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

Author Bio

Suzanna Ivanic is Lecturer in Early Modern European History and member of the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent. Her research focuses on lived religion and material and visual culture in Central Europe. Recent publications include articles on amulets, religious objects and the domestic sphere, and a book on Cosmos and Materiality in Early Modern Prague.