A Dictionary of Art Titles: The Origins of the Names and Titles of 3,000 Works of Art - Hardcover

A noted toponymist and onomastician, Adrian Room is the author of more than 40 reference books. He lives in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England.

A well-published toponymist and onomastician (that is, he is a wordsmith, not an art historian), Room has set out to clarify 3000 misleading titles of artworks. Pointing out that often a title requires previous knowledge, whether it be drawn from history, religion, mythology, or even the artist's, patron's, or subject's background, Room explains the meanings behind the titles. Focusing on paintings, though other media are occasionally discussed, he lists works alphabetically by title, sometimes in the original language (e.g., "D jeuner sur l'Herbe"). The entries vary widely in terms of length and type of information included. Some entries are fairly detailed and up to a half-page in length; others describe the piece as opposed to expounding on the title (the entry for William Etty's "The Deluge" simply states: "A young woman lies naked in the water that streams over and past her"). Hardly comprehensive, this book is in fact somewhat arbitrary in its choice of works, and it is certainly peculiar to discuss the title of an artwork without necessarily discussing the work itself. Bordering on the trivial, this work is perhaps suited to public libraries needing a quick reference. You could, for example, look up "The Scream" and quickly find a meaningful and informative discourse. But that could probably be found in other standard sources as well. A marginal purchase.DJennifer L.S. Moldwin, Detroit Inst. of Arts
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