Földvári Books

Panofsky’s First Major Theoretical Work

Panofsky, Erwin

Idea. Ein Beitrag zur Begriffsgeschichte der älteren Kunsttheorie. (Studien der Bibliothek Warburg. Herausgegeben von Fritz Saxl.) [Idea. A Concept in Art Theory.]

Leipzig-Berlin: B. G. Teubner, 1924. First edition. With numerous inset illustrations. Bookplate on flyleaf. In original cloth. (6), 145, [1] p. In fine condition.

One of the earliest, and the first major art theoretical book of Erwin Panofsky (1892–1968), examining the history of the neoplatonic theory of art, discusses the ideas of the intellect in relation to the imitation of the world of perception.

Panofsky was a German art historian who developed a special approach in art history, with the interpretation and understanding the works through an analysis of symbolism, history and social factors.

Panofsky studied philosophy and art history at several German universities and receiving his Ph.D in 1914. He took the chair of the art history department at University of Hamburg in 1920. Emigrated to the United States in 1934 and started to teach at New York University and soon became a permanent professor at Princeton.

Panofsky was in the circle of intellects around Aby Warburg the founder of the Warburg Institute and he published a monograph on Dürer’s Melencolia I. together with Fritz Saxl the librarian of the Institute in 1923. A year later, this book, “Idea”, Panofsky’s first significant work on art history has been published in the series “Studien der Bibliothek Warburg”.

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Price: €2,000.00