Symbology was used extensively in ancient Greek art, mostly to set the Gods aside from normal people, and to make it easier to distinguish between them. It gave them more power, or more wisdom, or beauty, depending on how they were painted. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, being the three most powerful Gods, had symbols of strength and authority. Zeus had a lightening bolt for power and an eagle for cunning and regalement. Poseidon had a trident for his power and authority. He was also sometimes painted with a fish tail, to symbolize his kingdom, and wild hair and beard, to show the freedom and untamability of the sea and all it represents. Hades was depicted on a throne and with a laurel wreath in his hair to symbolize his regalement. These three powerful Gods were all depicted with beards. In ancient Greece men were seen as dominant over woman, and the beard, as a sign of manliness, was then given to the powerful Gods, to show their dominance over others.
In more modern artworks, the same kind of symbology was used. Davids 'The Oath of Horatii', painted in 1784, shows a man facing his three sons and making them swear an oath to fight and kill the Curatii brothers. The father is the dominant man in this painting, and is the the only one with a beard. This compares to Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, the dominant Gods, who also all have beards. Also, the father is wearing a long red cloak, which again symbolises strength and passion, and the caption quotes "Red - the colour of passion - becomes the colour of the revolution."
Another example of symbology in later artworks can be seen in another of Davids works, 'Lictors bringing back to Brutus the bodies of his sons'. This painting is showing the bodies of Brutus' sons being brought home after Brutus orders their deaths. Brutus is sitting in the dark to the side, and is sitting on a throne, or a lavish chair. Like in the instance of Hades, the throne symbolizes the power Brutus has or had, like the power to order the deaths of his sons.
Symbols are timeless, and have been used in paintings and drawings for as long art has been around. It gets across a message that [something] alone cannot, and strengthens the personality of the characters depicted. Whether it's the trident of Poseidon, that sets him apart from the other Greek Gods, the [something about mythological creature], or the adding flourish to a renaissance piece of art, symbology has been hand-in-hand with art since the day of its creation.
