Index of Symbols with which to Identify Saints Photos

Many saints have attributes (aka symbols) by which they can be identified. This index gives symbols you might see in a painting, which can give you clues about the identity of a saint. (Man) or (Woman) designation in the chart is given as another clue to an identity. Some symbols are so varied, widely used, or undistinguished that they can only offer a confirmation of identity when paired with distinct attributes. We have skipped symbols used for so many saints or which are difficult to convey so are thus not helpful.

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Angel beside Man writing or holding book St Matthew, Evangelist Fresco detail of symbol of Evangelist St Matthew from church of St Marti de Tost at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain St Matthew Writing his Gospel painting by Carlo Dolci at J. Paul Getty Museum Center. Malibu, CA
Angel with trumpet or in Annunciation scene Archangel St Gabriel
(messenger of God)
Angel Gabriel atop Civil War Memorial. Hartford, CT Detail of archangel Gabriel telling Virgin Mary she will be mother of Christ on Merode Altarpiece by Robert Campin from Tournai at The Cloisters. New York, NY
Angel slaying dragon or devil with sword or spear Archangel St Michael
(protector of Christians)
Painting of St Michael slaying a devil at San Miguel Mission. Santa Fe, NM Sculpture of St Michael slaying dragon on corner of building on Tiergärtnertorplatz. Nuremberg, Germany
Armored knight slaying dragon (Man) St George Saint George Slaying the Dragon painting by unknown German at Orleans Beaux Arts Museum. Orleans, France Stained glass window of St George slaying dragon in chapel at Glamis Castle. Angus, Scotland
Armor (Woman in) or burned at stake St Joan of Arc
(pious liberator of France)
Joan of Arc rallying French troops at Orleans mural at Pantheon. Paris, France Joan of Arc at the stake painting by Alexandre-Evariste Fragonard at Rouen Museum of Fine Arts. Rouen, France
Arrow (Woman) St Ursula
(refused to marry pagan)
St Ursula with arrow painting by Master of Nothelfer Altar of Nurnberg at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany St Ursula painting by Master Jacobus at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain
Arrows (piercing almost naked Man) St Sebastian
(miraculous cures, symbolic of plague)
St Sebastian painting by Andrea Mantegna at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria Martyrdom of St Sebastian painting by Jan de Beer at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria
Axe (Man) St Matthias, Apostle Statue of St Matthias, Apostle, with an axe at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany St Matthias painting by workshop of Jusepe de Ribera of Spain at Cincinnati Art Museum. Cincinnati, OH
Basket of flowers & / or fruit (Woman) St Dorothy
(devotion)
St Dorothea statue from St Stephan of Vienna at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria St Dorothy of Cappadocia painting by José Joaquín Esquivel of Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX
Bell carried by Man followed by pig
(often in desert)
St Anthony Abbot (aka Hermit, Great, Abbas)
(founded monasticism)
Carving of St Anthony the Great with pig, bell, & monk's habit symbols at St Sebaldus Church. Nuremberg, Germany St Anthony Abbot carrying bell & with pig detail of Three Saints painting by Giovanni Battista Cima at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY
Black cape over white robe holding open book (Man) St Thomas Aquinas
(teachings became official philosophy of Catholics 1879)
Virgin Mary with Sts Thomas Aquinas & Paul tempera painting by Bernardo Daddi at J. Paul Getty Museum Center. Malibu, CA Stained-glass window of St Thomas Aquinas in Great Hall at St John's University. Collegeville, MN
Breasts cut-off on plate & pincers (Woman) St Agatha (purity) St Catherine of Alexandria & St Agatha tempera painting by Giovanni di Paolo from Siena at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY Martyrdom of St Agatha painting by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo at Berlin Gemaldegalerie. Berlin, Germany
Bull with wings (beside Man writing or holding book) St Luke, Evangelist Fresco detail of Evangelist St Luke from church of Sant Esteve d'Andorra la Vella at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain Evangelist Luke with bull making portrait of Virgin painting by Nicolo Renieri of Venice at Rouen Museum of Fine Arts. Rouen, France
Christ Child on shoulder of Man crossing river St Christopher
(patron saint of travelers)
Portuguese tile mural of St Christopher at San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission. Carmel, CA St Christopher painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI
Christ child on arm of monk (Man) St Anthony of Padua
(Franciscan preacher)
St Anthony of Padua retablo by Antonio Molleno at Hacienda de los Martinez. Taos, NM Panel of St Anthony of Padua & St Nicholas of Tolentino from Crucifixion triptych by Joos van Cleve at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY
Christ child (beside Man) St Joseph
(father of Jesus)
Saint Joseph & Christ Child by Guido Reni at Rienzi house museum. Houston, TX Mosaic of St Joseph protecting Christ Child in Cathedral of Our Lady. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Club large (Man) St James the Less, Apostle Statue of St James Minor, Apostle, holding one of his attributes, a fuller's club, with which he was martyred at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany Sts. Philip & James the Less painting by Paolo Veronese at National Gallery of Ireland. Dublin, Ireland
Cross - upside-down (Man) St Peter, Apostle Crucifixion of St Peter painting by a Northern painter at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY Martyrdom of St Peter painting one of four panels by Hans Holbein Elder in Municipal Art Gallery at Schaezler Palace. Augsburg, Germany
Cross on tall staff, fur robe (rustic), lamb (Man) St John the Baptist
(baptized Jesus)
St John the Baptist painting by El Greco at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA St John the Baptist with Christ painting from Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX
Cross X-shaped (Woman) St Eulalia
(spoke out for Christians)
Martyrdom of St Eulalia painting by Bernat Martorell at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain St Eulalia panel from St Clair & St Catherine altarpiece by Miquel Nadal & Pere Garcia de Benavarri at Barcelona Cathedral. Barcelona, Spain
Cross X-shaped (Man) St Andrew, Apostle
(patron saint of Scotland)
Statue of St Andrew, Apostle, with his attribute, the x-shaped cross on which he was crucified at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany Central panel of St Andrew altarpiece attrib. to Master of Geria from Castile at Toledo Museum of Art. Toledo, OH
Dog carrying bread beside Man with boil on thigh St Roch
(cared for plague victims in Italy)
St Roch woodcarving by Christian Jorhan the Elder from Landshut at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany Sculpture with attributes of St Roch at Kellie Castle. Pittenweem, Scotland
Dragon being slain by knight in armor (Man) St George Saint George Slaying the Dragon painting by unknown German at Orleans Beaux Arts Museum. Orleans, France Stained glass window of St George slaying dragon in chapel at Glamis Castle. Angus, Scotland
Dragon (beside Woman) St Margaret
(patroness of childbirth)
St Margaret painting by Raphael at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria Wood carving of St Margaret with dragon devil from Austrian South Tirol at The Cloisters. New York, NY
Eagle (beside Man writing or holding book) St John, Evangelist role (also Apostle) German gilded copper carving of winged eagle symbol of Evangelist St John at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany John the Evangelist painting by Carlo Dolci from Florence at Berlin Gemaldegalerie. Berlin, Germany
Eyeballs present sometimes on plate (Woman), plus feather or sword St Lucy (chastity, blinded) St Clement & Ste Lucia painting by Master of Viella from Catalonia at Museum of Decorative Arts. Paris, France St Lucy painting by Francesco del Cossa of Ferrarese at National Gallery of Art. Washington, DC
Face of Christ on cloth (Woman) St Veronica
(handed cloth to Christ when he carried cross)
Station of the Cross VI by Arlene Cisneros Sena in Golondrinas Chapel at Rancho de las Golondrinas. Santa Fe, NM Vera Ikon painting attrib Meister von St Laurenz in Köln at Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Köln, Germany
Fur robe (rustic), lamb, cross on tall staff (Man) St John the Baptist
(baptized Jesus)
St John the Baptist painting by El Greco at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA St John the Baptist with Christ painting from Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX
Grate (grid-iron beside Man) St Lawrence
(gave church money to poor)
Martyrdom of St Lawrence tempera painting by Mariotto di Nardo of Florence at RISD Museum. Providence, RI Oak choir stall carved with St Laurence in Unterlinden Museum. Colmar, France
Keys (Man) St Peter, Apostle
(first Pope) (often paired with Paul)
St Peter with keys stained glass window at Eglise Notre Dame de Pitie & St Elisabeth. Paris, France Spanish painted icon of St Peter by Antonio Molleno at New Mexico History Museum. Santa Fe, NM
Knife (flensing) in hand, sometimes sheet of flesh St Bartholomew, Apostle Statue of St Bartholomew with symbolic knife & flayed skin at Peterskirche. Munich, Germany Martyrdom of Apostle St Bartolommeo flayed alive painting by Huguet at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain
Lamb (Woman) St Agnes (purity) St Agnes stained glass window from Swabia at The Cloisters. New York, NY Wings of Three Kings altar with St Catherine & St Agnes painting by Hans Baldung Grien at Berlin Gemaldegalerie. Berlin, Germany
Lamb (Man), cross on tall staff, fur robe (rustic) St John the Baptist
(baptized Jesus)
St John the Baptist painting by El Greco at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA St John the Baptist with Christ painting from Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX
Lamp or candle (Woman) St Lucy
(giving light to blind)
St Lucy holding lamp painting by Perugino at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY St Catherine & St Lucy panel painting by Giovanni da Milano at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy
Lance (Man) St Thomas, Apostle Doubting St Thomas with his Lance symbol painting by Georges de la Tour at Louvre Museum. Paris, France Statue of St Thomas, Apostle, with a pike at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany
Lion & red Cardinal's Hat or Hermit's Garb (Man) St Jerome
(translated Bible into Latin)
St Jerome in His Study painting by Jan van Eyck at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI St Jerome in the Desert painting by workshop of Rogier van der Weyden at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI
Lion with wings (beside Man writing or holding book) St Mark, Evangelist German wood carving of winged lion symbol of Evangelist St Mark at Bavarian National Museum. Munich, Germany Evangelist St Mark with lion painting by Mathias Stomer at Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes. Rennes, France
Ointment box or vials (twins Men) Sts Cosmas & Damian Sts Cosmas & Damian painting from Altar of St Lawrence Church in Nuremberg by Hans Süß von Kulmbach at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany Madonna & Child with St Mary Magdalene, St John the Baptist, St Catherine of Alexandria, & Sts Cosmas & Damian painting by Sandro Botticelli at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy
Ointment jar (Woman) St Mary Magdalene
(tended to Christ at Crucifixion)
Mary Magdalene & Joseph of Arimathea panel paintings by Pieter Coecke van Aelst of Flamand at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA St Mary Magdalene painting with references to her future life by Lucas Cranach, the Elder at Wallraf-Richartz Museum. Köln, Germany
Organ (Woman playing) St Cecilia
(patron saint of musicians)
St Cecilia painting from Mexico at San Antonio Museum of Art. San Antonio, TX St Cecilia painting by Jacques Stella at Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes. Rennes, France
Palm Branch (man or woman) Optional symbol for any martyred saint. Not conclusive. Statue of St Lawrence at Ettal Benedictine Abbey. Ettal village, Germany Winged altarpiece sections with St Catherine, St Paul & St Agnes by Meister von Messkirch at Bode Museum. Berlin, Germany
Pig follows Man carrying bell
(often in desert)
St Anthony Abbot (aka Hermit, Great, Abbas)
(founded monasticism)
Detail of pig of St Anthony Abbot stained glass window from Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI Pig detail of St Anthony Abbot on Three Saints painting by Giovanni Battista Cima at Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, NY
Stones (3) held by or beside Man St Stephen
1st martyr, death by stoning
St Stephen painting by Domenico Feti of Italy at Memorial Art Gallery. Rochester, NY Stoning of St Stephen painting by Rembrandt van Rijn at Beaux-Arts Museum. Lyon, France
Purses (3) of gold tossed through window by Man St Nicholas of Bari
(Santa Claus)
St Nicholas of Bari painting by Jacopo Tintoretto at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria Scenes in life of St Nicholas painting by Ambrogio Lorenzetti at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy
Saw (large crosscut) (Man) St Simon the Cananite, Apostle Statue of St Simon, Apostle, with his attribute, a bucksaw at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany St Simon stained glass window in St Francis Cathedral. Santa Fe, NM
Scallop shell on brimmed hat or cloak, pilgrim's water gourd & walking staff (Man) St James the Greater, Apostle Wood carving of St James the Elder from Kalkar at German Historical Museum. Berlin, Germany Statue of St James Major, Apostle, with his attributes a staff & scallop shells at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany
Serpent on chalice (Man) St John, Apostle role (also Evangelist) St John the Evangelist painting by Piero di Cosimo at Honolulu Academy of Arts. Honolulu, HI Statue of St John, Apostle, with serpent in a cup representing his power to drink from a poisoned cup without harm at St Aegidius parish church. Gmund am Tegernsee, Germany
Severed head carried by owner (Man) St Denis
(Bishop of Paris)
Statue of St Denis holding his severed head on Cathedral. Reims, France Statue of St Denis patron saint of France on Cathedral. Reims, France
Shamrock (Man) St Patrick
(brought Christianity to Ireland
New Haven Cathedral stained glass of St Patrick. Roseau, Dominica Tile work tribute to St Patrick in St Augustine Cathedral. St Augustine, FL
Stigmata received from heaven (by Man in robes of poor monk) St Francis of Assisi
(Founder of Franciscans who take vows of poverty)
St Francis Receiving Stigmata tempera painting by Mariotto di Nardo of Florence at RISD Museum. Providence, RI Stained glass showing St Francis of Assisi receiving stigmata at Orleans Cathedral. France
Sword (Man with bald head) St Paul, Apostle
(often paired with Peter)
Painting of St Peter & St Paul by Master of Soriguerola at Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Barcelona, Spain St Paul & St James the Elder tempura painting by Cristoforo Caselli at Detroit Institute of Arts. Detroit, MI
Sword of her beheading (Woman) St Catherine of Alexandria
(protector of captives)
Martyrdom of St Catherine altarpiece by Meister of Griedrichsaltares at Historical Museum of City of Vienna. Vienna, Austria Painting of St Catherine of Alexandria with wheel & sword symbols at St Sebaldus Church. Nuremberg, Germany
Tower (usually round beside Woman) St Barbara (purity) Wooden statue of St Barbara with her tower from upper Rhine in Unterlinden Museum. Colmar, France Detail of St Barbara with tower painted on altar from Egrus at Schleswig Holstein State Museum. Schleswig, Germany
Wheel (spiked & broken beside Woman) St Catherine of Alexandria
(protector of captives)
Martyrdom of St Catherine of Alexandria painting one of four panels by Hans Holbein Elder in Municipal Art Gallery at Schaezler Palace. Augsburg, Germany St Clair & St Catherine altarpiece by Miquel Nadal & Pere Garcia de Benavarri at Barcelona Cathedral. Barcelona, Spain
Wound (boil) on thigh (Man pointing) beside dog carrying bread St Roch
(cared for plague victims in Italy)
St Roch woodcarving by Christian Jorhan the Elder from Landshut at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany Sculpture with attributes of St Roch at Kellie Castle. Pittenweem, Scotland

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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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