Three Levels of Meaning
Erwin Panofsky established a method for reading images in Studies in Iconology and Meaning in the Visual Arts.
| Level | What it identifies | Equipment needed | Corrective |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-iconographical description | Primary subject matter: forms, objects | Practical experience | History of style |
| 2. Iconographical analysis | Secondary subject matter: stories, allegories | Knowledge of literary sources | History of types |
| 3. Iconological interpretation | Intrinsic Meaning: underlying principles of an age | Synthetic intuition | History of cultural symptoms |
- Level 1 covers what anyone can see without knowing the underlying story.
- Level 2 identifies what the forms represent through texts and conventions.
- Level 3, termed iconology by Panofsky, interprets what these choices reveal about a culture.
Panofsky attached correctives to each level as vital checks against unconstrained speculation.
Aby Warburg and the Afterlife of Images
Aby Warburg is the method's other key founder. He focused on the Nachleben der Antike, the afterlife of antiquity.
Key concepts from Warburg include:
- Pathosformel: recurring emotional gestures that persist across centuries.
- Mnemosyne Atlas: panels of juxtaposed photographs comparing images across cultures without text.
- Warburg Institute: his associatively organised research library, later moved to London.
While Panofsky built a systematic procedure, Warburg traced the survival and transformation of visual motifs across time.
Common pitfall: using "iconography" and "Iconology" as synonyms. Iconography identifies subjects at Level 2. Iconology interprets deeper cultural worldview at Level 3.