Panofsky ATH701 1.docx (3).ppt

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ERWIN PANOFSKY

Born: March 30, 1892 (Hanover

Died: March 14, 1968 (aged 75) Princeton, New Jersey

Occupation: Art historian

Known for: The definition of modern

iconography and iconology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton,_New_Jersey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_historian

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_historian

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton,_New_Jersey

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanover



• Three Strata of Subject Matter or

Meaning

In Studies in Iconology Panofsky details his idea

of three levels of art-historical understanding



OBJECT OF

INTERPRETATION

ACT OF INTERPRETATION EQUIPMENT FOR

INTERPRETATION

Primary or NaturalSubject Matter

The most basic level of

understanding, this stratumconsists of perception of the

work’s pure form. Take, for

example, a painting of The

Last Supper. If we stopped

at this first stratum, such a

picture could only beperceived as a painting of 13

men seated at a table. This

first level is the most basic

understanding of a work,

devoid of any added culturalknowledge.

The first level is a

description of the factual (orexpressional), termed the

"pre-iconographic

description," in which

uninterrupted subjects are

enumerated. This level does

not require any in-depthknowledge of either the work

or its context, apart from the

ability to recognize what is

represented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper











Secondary orConventionalsubject matter(Iconography)

This stratum goes a step furtherand brings to the equationcultural and iconographic

knowledge. For example, a

Western viewer would

understand that the painting of

13 men around a table would

represent The Last Supper.Similarly, a representation of a

haloed man with a lion could be

interpreted as a depiction of St.Mark.

·

The secondary level, iconographicalanalysis, involves an understandingof the subject matter. It "constitutes

the world of images, stories and

allegories" (Panofsky 1939, p. 14)

and requires an analysis of the pre

iconographic material, which can be

derived only from a familiarity withand knowledge of the themes and

concepts represented. The

recognition of such themes can be

based on external sources (such as

textual material) and may be

extensive, but it is usually acquiredfrom familiarization with thematerial.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Mark













Tertiary orIntrinsic

Meaning orContent

(Iconology)

This level takes into account

personal, technical, and

cultural history into the

understanding of a work. Itlooks at art not as an isolated

incident, but as the product ofa historical environment.

Working in this stratum, the art

historian can ask questions like

“why did the artist choose to

represent The Last Supper inthis way?” or “Why was St.Mark such an important saint

to the patron of this work?”

Essentially, this last stratum is

a synthesis; it is the art

historian asking "what does it

all mean?"

The third or iconographical

level is the most complicated

of the three and involves

an understanding of theintrinsic meaning or content,

constituting the world of"symbolical values." This

level requires "a familiarity

with the essential tendencies

of the human mind" and

attempts to place the deepermeaning of the work (if itexists) within the realm of the

conscious. Such deeper

meanings cannot be

immediately recognized.
















• Primary or Natural Subject Matter: The most basic

level of understanding, this strata consists of

perception of the work’s pure form. Take, for example,

a painting of The Last Supper . If we stopped at this

first strata, such a picture could only be perceived asa painting of 13 men seated at a table. This first level

is the most basic understanding of a work, devoid of

any added cultural knowledge.

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/The_Last_Supper








• Secondary or Conventional subject matter

(Iconography): This strata goes a step further and

brings to the equation cultural and iconographic

knowledge. For example, a western viewer would

understand that the painting of 13 men around a

table would represent The Last Supper . Similarly,

seeing a representation of a haloed man with a

lion could be interpreted as a depiction of St.

Jerome.


http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/St._Jerome













• Intrinsic Meaning or Content (Iconology): This level

takes into account personal, technical, and cultural

history into the understanding of a work. It looks at

art not as an isolated incident, but as the product

of a historical environment. Working in this strata,

the art historian can ask questions like “why didthe artist choose to represent The Last Supper in

this way?” or “Why was St. Jerome such an

important saint to the patron of this work?”

Essentially, this last strata is a synthesis; it's theart historian asking "what does it all mean?"












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