Panofsky

Erwin Panofsky (1892–1968) was a German-American art historian whose work helped establish iconology as a major method in art history. A leading figure in 20th-century scholarship, Panofsky integrated formal analysis with historical and textual context to interpret visual meaning in medieval and Renaissance art.

Born in Hamburg, Panofsky studied at German universities and became associated with the Warburg School, which emphasized interdisciplinary methods and the interpretation of symbols. With the rise of Nazism, he left Germany in 1933 and emigrated to the United States, where he joined Princeton University as a professor of art history. His arrival in America contributed to the development of art history as a rigorous, comparative discipline.

Panofsky’s central contribution is the development of iconology, a method that moves from describing visible motifs (iconography) to interpreting their symbolic meanings within historical and cultural contexts. This approach enabled analyses of religious imagery, allegory, and the adaptation of classical motifs across periods and cultures. His writings helped formalize how historians read images in relation to the beliefs, rituals, and social structures of their time. Among his influential works are Studies in Iconology (1939) and the later collection Meaning in the Visual Arts.

Panofsky’s interdisciplinary method influenced generations of scholars and shaped the field's approach to symbols, representation, and visual culture. His emphasis on context and interpretation beyond surface appearance remains a foundational reference in art historical methodology. He died in 1968 in Princeton, New Jersey.