How to Interpret Symbolism in Classical and Modern Paintings

When I first started looking at paintings—not just seeing them but really looking—I often felt like I was missing something. A still life wasn’t just a bowl of fruit. A woman in a red dress wasn’t just standing there for no reason. It took me years (and many museum visits) to realize that painting is a language—and symbolism is one of its most powerful dialects.

Symbolism in art is like reading between the brushstrokes. Whether it’s a Renaissance masterpiece or a modern abstract work, artists have always embedded hidden meanings, metaphors, and references into their creations. Learning to decode that visual language opened up a whole new level of appreciation for me, and I want to share how you can start seeing those layers too.

Looking Back: Symbolism in Classical Art

Let’s start with classical painting—art from the Renaissance through the 19th century. These works often feel formal and precise, but beneath their polished surfaces lie deep symbolic narratives.

Religious Iconography

In early Christian and Renaissance art, symbolism was a way to communicate spiritual truths in a mostly illiterate world. I remember looking at paintings of the Virgin Mary and wondering why she was always wearing blue. Turns out, blue symbolized purity and heaven—it was also the most expensive pigment at the time, reserved for sacred figures.

The lamb often seen in paintings of Christ? A symbol of sacrifice. A skull on a windowsill? A reminder of mortality (a “memento mori”). Even seemingly mundane objects—a dog (fidelity), a candle (divine presence), or a broken column (the fall of a great figure)—carried meaning.

Mythological & Allegorical Elements

Classical artists also drew on myth and allegory. Botticelli’s Primavera isn’t just a pretty garden scene—it’s a visual poem about fertility, love, and rebirth. Once I started reading more about Roman and Greek mythology, I could see how often those stories were woven into European art—not just to showcase beauty, but to explore human nature.

Decoding Symbols in Portraits and Still Life

Some of the most fascinating symbolism can be found in genres that seem deceptively simple—portraits and still life.

Portraiture as a Power Play

In 17th-century Europe, portraits weren’t just about likeness; they were about legacy. Kings and queens were painted with globes, swords, and lavish clothing to show power. Merchants had ledgers and books to reflect education and status. I once saw a painting of a nobleman holding a withered rose—subtle, but likely a symbol of lost love or time slipping away.

And women? Often surrounded by pearls (purity), dogs (loyalty), or flowers that told a deeper story than their faces ever could.

Still Life with a Twist

Still life paintings—especially in the Dutch Golden Age—are filled with quiet symbolism. I remember staring at a painting of a half-peeled lemon and thinking, “What’s the big deal?” Then I learned that lemons, while beautiful on the outside, are bitter underneath—a metaphor for vanity and the fleeting nature of pleasure.

Rotting fruit, spilled wine, flickering candles—they all hint at the transience of life. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

The Shift to Modern Symbolism

In modern art, symbolism takes on a new tone—more personal, more psychological, often more abstract. Where classical artists used established visual codes, modern artists invented their own.

Van Gogh’s Emotional Symbols

Take Van Gogh, for example. His crows, swirling skies, and wilted sunflowers aren’t just aesthetic choices—they’re expressions of emotion, instability, and longing. When I stood before Wheatfield with Crows, I didn’t need an art history degree to feel its anxiety. The symbols were raw, unfiltered—straight from the artist’s mind to the canvas.

Surrealism and the Subconscious

Then came Surrealists like Dalí, Magritte, and Ernst. Their symbols don’t follow logical rules—they operate like dreams. Melting clocks, floating apples, doors to nowhere—these are invitations to go deeper, not answers in themselves.

I remember seeing Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory for the first time and thinking, “This doesn’t make sense.” But that’s the point. It wasn’t meant to make sense—it was meant to stir something in you. Symbolism in modern art often asks the viewer to bring their own meaning to the piece.

How I Approach Symbolism in Paintings

Over time, I developed my own method for interpreting symbolism, especially when standing in front of an unfamiliar painting. Here’s how I approach it:

1. Start With the Obvious

What are the dominant objects, figures, or colors? Often, what stands out is a clue to the work’s core theme. Ask yourself: Why is that object there? Why that pose? Why that expression?

2. Think Historically

When was the painting created? Context changes everything. A snake in a 15th-century painting might symbolize temptation, but in a 20th-century work, it could represent transformation or danger.

3. Consider the Artist

If you know the artist, think about their background, beliefs, or recurring themes. For instance, Frida Kahlo often used monkeys, thorns, and hearts as deeply personal symbols of pain, desire, and resilience. Once I read about her life, her paintings transformed before my eyes.

4. Look at Composition

Sometimes, placement says more than the object itself. Is a flower in bloom or decay? Is the subject isolated or surrounded? Is light hitting one thing but not another? These choices are rarely accidental.

5. Trust Your Instinct

Symbolism isn’t always a fixed code. Some symbols are universal—like a dove for peace—but others are subjective. Your personal reaction can guide your interpretation. If something feels ominous, joyful, or melancholic, explore why.

Why Symbolism Matters

For me, symbolism is what transforms a painting into a conversation. It invites us to ask questions, to slow down, to imagine what the artist might be trying to say—and what we might need to hear.

Sometimes, the symbols are meant to be decoded precisely. Other times, they exist to provoke emotion or reflection. But in both classical and modern works, symbolism adds richness and depth that rewards a closer look.

In a world where images move faster than ever, paintings remind us to pause. To notice. To think.

Final Thoughts

Interpreting symbolism in art isn’t about memorizing every historical icon or guessing what the artist was thinking. It’s about entering the visual world with curiosity. It’s about learning to read between the lines of a brushstroke, or seeing the story behind a single object.

From the halos of saints to the shadows of Surrealist dreams, symbols are everywhere—whispering, hinting, provoking. And once you start looking for them, paintings will never be the same again.

They’ll speak to you. And you’ll know how to listen.