From Form To Idea:a Study Of Erwin Panofsky's Art Iconology Theory

In the late 19^th century and the early 20^th century,the positivism method of natural science has been established and popularized in the social science domain.German speculative philosophy declined but continued giving play to its influence.How to reconcile these two approaches and lay a methodology foundation for the Kunstwissenschaft is the problems that the Formalism theoretical and Art Iconology strive to solve.Art Iconology is a cultural history disciline that explains the themes and meanings of works.As the founder of“iconology”theory in the West in 20^th century,Panofsky is worshiped as“Father of modern iconology”.The Art Iconology theory built by Panofsky breaks the unitary art analysis model of the formalism aesthetics,where icon is incorporated into the vision of broad cultural history and spiritual history.It analyzes the multiple interactions between visual arts and ideology from perspective of historical fact,social factors,spirit of time,individual pursuit of the artists.It builds the relationship between visual art and ideology expression accordingly.This inter-disciplinary method of icon research not only promotes the research situation of new art history and art philosophy,but also opens up the space of visual art culture research and extends to different fields of humanities and social sciences,which has a profound impact on the research of later generations..Panofsky's philosophy and aesthetic achievements are in his exploration of art theory,artistic methodology and Iconology interpretation system.Based on the art,philosophy and aesthetics text of Panofsky,the dissertation takes“form to idea”as its logic thread,and discusses the historical context and philosophical origin of the theory of Art Iconology,the philosophical aesthetic direction of art theory,and the construction of artistic methodology and the formation and development of the meaning and interpretation of Icon,in order to construct a theoretical picture of Panofsky's aesthetic concept of different stages systematically.The dissertation is divided into five parts according to the logical context.Chapter one“The historical context and theoretical origin of Panofsky'Art Iconology.”It expounds philosophical origin of the Art Iconology of Panofsky,traces back to the historical context and the logic evolution of Iconology theories in the West to frame its theoretical position and particularity.Chapter two“Empirical forms and transcendental categories:a critical reflection on formalistic aesthetics.”It aims to analyze the relationship between Panofsky and formalistic aesthetics.Through the criticism that Heinrich Wolffline's formalism and the critical inheritance and creative interpretation of the concept of“Artistic Volition”of Riegl,as well as the extension of the concept of“symbolic form”by Cassirer,It conveys the idea that Panofsky emphasis on“content”and“significance”and his efforts to establish an internal connection between form and meaning.One of Panofsky's purposes in criticzing formalistic aesthetics is to break through the shackles of the aesthetic analysis method that was considered to be the“pure form”of“paradigm”and“convention”at the time,aiming to pass the“Artistic Volition”or“Archimedean origin”to gain an insight into the overall phenomenon of an era of art.Through the three dimensions of“visual form”,“artistic volition”and“symbolic form”,the extension of visual form is extended to the field of culture and philosophy,which shows that Panosky's concern about an overall artistic phenomenon has formed the theoretical framework and structural paradigm of the relatively mature visual art meaning interpretation.Chapter three“Mental habit and human quality:the philosophical aspect of Art Iconology.”Starting with the basic concepts of Art Iconology such as“transcendentality of artistic category”,“perspective as symbolic form”,“mental habit”,“humanistic spirit”and“overall composition of culture”.On this basis,it discusses the peculiar property of Art Iconology in methodology model and problem form as humanities,which fully embody the philosophical aesthetic implication of Art Iconology theories.Chapter four“Icon idea and aesthetic pursuit:the interpretation of the‘meaning'of Iconology”.Focusing on the three-level cognitive modal of Art Iconology,clarifying the core concept involved in icon intertation,namely,“interpretation of gewalt”,“symbolic”,“content”,“intrinsic meaning”and“world outlook”.It presents the aesthetic issues such as transcendental and empiricity of icon cognition,circulation of the hermeneutics and sensibility,rationality,and aesthetic common sense in icon interpretation derived form icon recognition mode.In the process of icon cognition,there is a transcendental element in the transition from experience of sensibility to rationality and then to publicity.At the same time,cultural and historical experience plays an important role in shaping people's psychological structure and cultural structure.In fact,the interpretation of human icon is the interpretation of the relationship between people and the world.The ultimate direction of icon recognition is the problem of people's commonality.Chapter five“the cultural significance and contemporary situation of Panofsky's Art Iconology.”Through representation of culture reform on art iconology by Michelle,John Berger,Michael Baxandal and Bourdieu,it surveys the values and significance of Art Iconology to research on visual culture under the context of“culture turn”and“image turn”.Through discussion on acceptance,doubt and criticism of the contemporary aesthetics and art researchers on the Art Iconology,it presents a re-reflection on the aesthetic values for the art iconology.It is believed in this dissertation that Art Iconology has rich aesthetic implications.On the one hand,it attempts to transform the aesthetic perception of art into general cognition through form and perceptual elements.On the other hand,Art Iconology re-emphasizes the relationship between art and spirit of the era.Moreover,the interpretation mode of Art Iconology has completed the new aesthetic orientation of“from form to idea”,which not only emphasizes the aesthetic pursuit with“inner meaning”as the core,but rather realizes the link between art and philosophy,epistemology,world outlook and sense of life,and points to the publicity of philosophy and the universality of human beings.Finally,as an important part of the trend of“cultural turn”,Art Iconlogy has finally turned to the study of art and culture.In this context,the studies of Art Iconology and marxist sociology and culturology have generated constant theoretical response and academic tension.This tension also makes today's aesthetic research face a new situation and in the process of boundary expansion.Therefore,there is no doubt that the study of panofsky's Art Iconology has vigorous vitality and broad research prospects.This dissertation,as an exploratory study,attempts to make a tentative effort to expand the research territory of traditional western aesthetics.