Reading Medieval Images: The Art Historian and the Object

It is propitious to find art historians who are happy to define and defend their work, but this collection of eighteen essays does just that. With each contributor selecting a particular object or image, they elaborate on how art historians approach works of art, and discuss the methodology of visual analysis and informed interpretation. Jargon-free and approachable, the contributors select and describe a variety of subjects including a mosaic, Crucifixion image, a textile, portraits, an architectural drawing, choir reliefs, a sarcophagus, architectural and free-standing sculpture, both from the West, the Byzantine East and the Islamic world.