M E A N I N G

M E A N I N G

ideas and values attached to particular images and objects

Govert Flinck,“Marcus Curius Dentatus

Preferring Turnips to Gold,” 1656

Three Layers of Meaning(according to Erwin Panofsky):

1. Pre-iconographic(description with common human knowledge)

2. Iconographic(description with knowledge of the culture the work comes from – who, when, where, what - which story is depicted?)

3. Iconological(what is the specific meaning of the work in this particular case – its “message” ?)

Bernini,“Apollo and Daphne,” 1622-1625

Anonymous,“Dancing Shiva,” 12th century

“Rig-Veda” (collection of Hindu myths), 1665

Anonymous, Karagöz and Hacivat

Source:Oral tradition

Caravaggio, “St. Catherine,” 1598

ATTRIBUTE

An object that helps to identify a historical or fictional figure depicted in a work of art

Walt Disney, “Snow White,” 1937

Andy Warhol, “Jackie,” 1964

“Gaffur” from the Turkish television series Avrupa Yakası, 2006

Three Layers of Meaning(according to Erwin Panofsky):

1. Pre-iconographic(description with common human knowledge)

2. Iconographic(description with knowledge of the culture the work comes from – who, when, where, what - which story is depicted?)

3. Iconological(what is the specific meaning of the work in this particular case – its “message” ?)

1. Pre-iconographic (General Human knowledge): man with a striped jacket and trousers of the same fabric

2. Iconographic (Culturally informed knowledge): Pyjama’s, once fashionable in Turkey (ca. 1960’s), now outdated

3. Iconological (specific meaning of the work): Why did the script writer use this costume? worn by Gaffur not only at home, but also in other peoples’ appartments > doesn’t know how to behave > comical effect

LEVELS OF INTERPRETATION

Pieter de Hooch, “Conference Room in the Amsterdam Town Hall,”

1661

Amsterdam Town Hall, ca. 1660

Jacob van Campen,“Citizen’s Hall” in Amsterdam

Town Hall, 1655

a typicalRoman Forum

Artus Quellinus, “The Continents Honoring Amsterdam,”Amsterdam Town Hall, 1655

Michiel van der Voort,“Pulpit of Antwerp Cathedral,” 1713

=

= the dominance of Amsterdam over the whole world

the spreading of the Catholic church around the world

Hale Tenger,I know people like this II,1992

Che Guevara T-shirt