Georgia Johnston
LIS 652-3
12/17/09
Final Assignment
Reference Resources in Reference Scenarios
Question #7: “What is the significance of the lily flower in paintings on the subject of the
‘Annunciation’?
Source #1.
Hall, J. (2007). Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art. New York: Westview Press.
This source by James Hall is a classic text for students of Art and Art History, which is a
dictionary of symbols and themes in Western Art. Religious, classical, and historical themes are
addressed, and in its definition, the subject is placed in the context of its artistic
representation. This dictionary is characterized as very user friendly, while appropriate for
academic research. Hall utilizes cross-reference between subjects and themes to further
facilitate research, as well as placing them in historical and philosophical perspective when
necessary. This dictionary is alphabetized by theme or subject, which should make accessing
"Lily" or "Annunciation" relatively easy. This resource is available at the Schwarzman branch of
the New York Public Library in the Art Reference Section- for In-Library Use only.
Source #2.
Ferguson, G. (1966). Signs and Symbols in Christian Art: With Illustrations from Paintings from
the Renaissance. New York: Oxford University Press.
First published in 1954, this book remains unrivaled in its breadth of definition for symbols and
signs in Christian Art. The work concerns itself with the symbolism inherent in Biblical figures,
as well as biblical subjects including birds, animals, insects, and flowers. One reviewer considers
it to be a tremendous help, particularly for students raised without a great deal of exposure to
Christian Iconography. Ferguson's definitions and discussions of each symbol are thorough,
comprehensive, and provide references back to events in the Old and New Testament
(including the Annunciation). The subjects discussed in this book are alphabetized by category
(user would need to consult table of contents for "flowers"), and there is an alphabetized
subject index at the end of the book for quick reference. This resource is available at the MidManhattan Branch of the New York Public Library on the third floor.
Source #3.
Oxford Art Online. (2007-2009). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from:
www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/.
Oxford Art Online is an online subscriber database that consists of four main sources of
information: Grove Art Online, The Oxford Companion to Western Art, The Encyclopedia of
Aesthetics, and The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms. Oxford Art Online is an extensive
and easily search able online art resource, to quote the source, "a virtually art reference library
of unparalleled scope and depth". The resources are extensive, and deal more with artist and
artwork specifics than with symbolic themes (though they are also represented to an extent).
This site may be useful for further research for an academic paper. By doing a search of the
artist (last name, first name) on the first page, the user is able to pull up an image of "The
Annunciation" from one of the results. By bringing up this result, the user is presented with the
image of the painting, as well as a link to a detailed biography of Giordano and a thorough
synopsis of his works (including "The Annunciation"). This resource is available at the
Schwarzman branch of the New York Public Library.
Some additional sources to consider:
ARTstor: An independent, not-for-profit organization that develops, stores, and distributes
digital images and related scholarly material for the study of art. architecture, and other
subjects related to the humanities. This source would be of particular use to study Giordano's
"Annunciation" against different works of the same subject, with access to pertinent research.
This resource is available online (www.artstor.org)at is accessible at the Schwarzman branch of
the New York Public Library.
The Thomas J. Watson Library: The Libraries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art: If the student
is located in the New York metro area, the possibility exists for undergraduates to pursue
academic research at the Met library. After signing up for a library card, the student may have
access to relevant materials in regard to Giordano's Annunciation that are exclusive to the
Watson library. Oxford Art Online is also available at this location, as well as a large selection of
publications and periodicals. This library is located at 1000 5th ave, New York, NY (on the first
floor), and is open from 10 AM to 6 PM weekdays (closed Monday), 10 AM to 2 PM Saturdays,
and closed Sundays.