著者

加藤 哲弘

出版者

美学会

雑誌

美學 (ISSN:05200962)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.43, no.2, pp.25-35, 1992-09-30

---

Aby Warburg is well-known to us as the founder of modern iconology, but as a matter of fact, in contrast with Panofsky's authorized and internationalized version of iconology, his way of interpretation has been looked upon as rather idiosyncratic. It has not always been justly appreciated. In this paper, I try to make clear the hitherto unnoticed actuality of Warburg's hermeneutics of image by examining his famous concept of "Pathosformel". In connection with this, I emphasize the follwing three points : First, Warburg's original idea of iconology has a remarkably close relation to the standpoint of reception aesthetics. Warburg leaves to the contemporary public the casting vote for determining the meaning of this formula. Second, Warburg shares an interest in the social function of image with the "New Art Historians". They both try to get away from the influence of the aestheticism of mainstream autonomy aesthetics. Third, Warburg gives us some useful hints for overcoming the modern rationalism in interpretive methods. In his practice of the historical interpretation of imagery, a rare kind of coexistence between the irrational and the rational can be found.