THE SYMBOLISM OF SALT IN PAINTINGS

Many artists have used the symbol of salt in both religious and profan e works, yet very few studies have explored the symbolism of salt as u sed in works of air. In this study, Panofsky's method has been adopted to evaluate works of art through an organic process articulated into three stages: (1) pre-iconographic, (2) iconographic and (3) iconologi cal. The method was used for (a) religious paintings of the Old and Ne w Testaments and (b) mythological and profane themes. Various salt-cel lars were also studied. In particular, the paper examines the followin g themes: Isaac blessing Jacob, the return of Esau, Samuel consecratin g David, the Last Supper, the suppers at Emmaus and at the house of Si mon, the birth of St. John the Baptist, the Baptism of Constantine, th e prodigal son, Bacchus-Apollo, the nuptial banquet of Love and Psyche , the death of the Cavalier of Celano, the king drinks, the landlord's visit, 'Phitopolis faisant servir des mets en or au roi Pithes', cert ain still life paintings and various salt-cellars including those of C ellini and Giulio Romano. The paper discusses the works of many artist s including Raphael, Leonardo and his school (Boltraffio, Giampietrino , d'Oggiono, Solario), Hendricksz, Corenzio, Jean-Baptiste and Philipp e de Champaigne, Damaskinos, Tintoretto, Titian, Romanino, Rubens, Bel lini, Bloemaert, Veronese, Sustris, Just of Ghent, Jan Van Hemessen, P oussin, Loir, Giotto, Jordaens, Brueghel and Mimmo Paladino with his e nchanted mountain. From the data examined it emerged that salt is a pr imary iconological presence in various works of art.