Art analysis | The Panofsky method

In 1939, Panovsky proposed his image method of art analysis. For him, the analysis is not merely dependent on literary resources, after all, literary resources are not always available. He continues to study how to choose themes, themes, or facts based on various historical conditions experienced by artists. In other words, he defends the study of meaning

A man wore a hat. From the perspective of the image, what we basically look at is the behavior of men wearing a hat. But from an image perspective, this pose has meaning. Assuming that we are involved with two people (including actors acting with people) who are familiar with Western culture, they know that this is a gesture of friendship and respect Let's see. However, achieving this level of understanding depends on a priori knowledge of the social value of the same gesture.

Last Supper - Leonardo da Vinci from Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Supper#mediaviewer/File:%C3%9Altima_Cena_-_Da_Vinci_5.jpg

The primary level must correspond to the most basic understanding level, natural recognition of work. Therefore, in this picture, we identified 13 men at dinner timetable. In the first stage, we do not use areas of knowledge or cultural deepening to understand the information.

As long as this is an explanation of the information and its meaning, some level of image knowledge is needed to understand the second level. Therefore, anyone who has received Western culture or Christian education can identify this scene as Jesus' last dinner with his apostles.

Because of the interpretation of the third and last level, the observer not only accepts and interprets the information contained in the expression, but also from the historical perspective looking for social and cultural interrelations that may broaden its meaning I will try to interpret it.

At this level art is regarded not only as an isolated act but also as a product of historical, social and cultural conditions that contribute to its creation. Therefore, to answer the last question, the third level of knowledge requires deeper knowledge and understanding at the technical, historical and cultural level.

The art historian most closely related to image analysis is Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968). Panovsky brought his great learning to research in many fields, but the most important thing is to research the art of the Renaissance. In the early Dutch painting he proposed a very special way to understand the pictures made in Northern Europe in the 15th century. He believes that many apparently ordinary objects actually symbolize religious ideas, and the result is the complete "sanctification" of the visible world. But the question is, "What if all meant to imply that all shapes convey symbolic ideas are regarded as ordinary plants, architectural details, tools, furniture, etc. Ski asked his own question answered:

In 1939, Panovsky proposed his image method of art analysis. For him, the analysis is not merely dependent on literary resources, after all, literary resources are not always available. He continues to study how to choose themes, themes, or facts based on various historical conditions experienced by artists. In other words, he defends the study of meaning. A man wore a hat. From the perspective of the image, what we basically look at is the behavior of men wearing a hat. But from an image perspective, this pose has meaning. Assuming that we are involved with two people (including actors acting with people) who are familiar with Western culture, they know that this is a gesture of friendship and respect Let's see. However, achieving this level of understanding depends on a priori knowledge of the social value of the same gesture.

Among all the students of Aby Warburg, Erwin Panofsky left image analysis, which is the most important tool for art historians. Another Jewish intellectual escaped from Nazi Germany to teach at a North American university and dedicated his life to European art research but his legacy is all artistic theme, region, era It is a methodology applicable to. As far as I can tell, Iconology has proven to be very insightful when writing about the race and expression of my doctoral thesis. The following images included in my work explain the contents described in the next paragraph.