Iconography and Iconology

Iconography and Iconology

by
William Wolfman

In the essay “Iconography and Iconology”—on page 31, writer Panofsky briefly etymologises “iconography” and from his explanation; the word “graphy” comes from the greek word “graphein” which means “to write.” “Iconography is, therefore a description much as ethnography is a description of human races.” (p. 31) This brief section explaining where this word came from and what it means sheds some light on the essay’s purpose: to inform us that Iconography on one hand is the division in the history of art which concerns itself with the subject matter or meaning of works of art, as opposed to their form, line, and color. Iconology on the other requires more than just an understanding with specific themes or concepts; it arises from synthesis and is thus, widely recognized as a study of meaning in art.

Panofsky uses an example of what people view as a polite gesture, a man tipping his hat. “… when I Interpret the lifting of a hat as a polite greeting, I recognize in it a meaning which may be called secondary or conventional…” (p. 27) Any sign of mood or feelings represents the personality of the subject. If this real life pose was made into a work of art—from a compositional point of a view, the shape of our subject would change but from an iconographical standpoint, it means that a new theme has been thought of.

So, when we use iconography and iconology, there are three important acts of interpretation for giving an accurate identification of the themes seen in historical art pieces:

a pre-iconological description—a description based on practical experience, an iconographical analysis—an analysis dealing with images, stories, and symbols, and an iconological interpretation- an interpretation of what information we want to learn.

As seen on pages 40-41, each of these three acts is paired with one of three objects of interpretation. The first kind of object: primary or natural subject matter, which is a part of the pre-iconographical description , identifying pure forms such as human beings, animals, and plants. The second: secondary or conventional subject matter which is a part of the iconographical analysis that establishes the world of images, stories, and symbols. The third kind: intrinsic meaning or content which is a part of the iconological interpretation, and shows the general attitude of a nation, period, or class.

The equipment for these interpretations is the realistic experience with objects, knowledge of literary sources or understanding with particular themes and concepts, and intuition or familiarity with the basic tendencies of the human mind.

Panofsky also makes an assumption about the Italian writers in the history of art. “They were wrong in so far as there had not been a complete break of tradition during the Middle Ages.” (p. 40) Writers such as Lorenzo Ghiberti and Leone Battista thought that classical art wasn’t seen as much in the beginning of Christian era but, Panofsky adds that the general approach towards antiquity was primarily changed when the Renaissance began.

This information that Panofsky provides us with reminds us that themes changed since the Christian Middle Ages. Consequently, this essay has been influential particularly for the study of Northern Renaissance Art, because it is important for any art historian and student to learn how each piece should be interpreted, and using these methods help discover a hidden meaning behind each piece of art. Iconology and iconography are therefore, essential for icons of any kind.

(Iconography and Iconology, Erwin Panofsky)