The palm goes to Heinrich Wofflin's Principles of Art History. But Panofsky contributes, too. The real genealogy of the idea goes far back to Renaissance artists like Ghiberti. A more eccentric approach is from Aby Warburg and one that is quite organic and ambiguous (multi-layered) is Henri Focillon's The Life of Forms in Art. Others abound.
But with the advance of social histories and cultural studies, the ideas centered on form give way to a complete levelling of symbolic visualization, mirroring the advancing (idealized?) classlessness of art as life. But I applaud your memory of lessons well learned, and wothy ones, too. A+ WC --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Michael Brady <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Michael Brady <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Definable and measurable truths > To: [email protected] > Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 9:22 PM > On Feb 23, 2009, at 10:06 PM, Michael Brady wrote: > > >> Who were the most important art historians who > developed the evolution of art historical styles? With a > witty and correct answer you grade will raise to your usual > A+ > > > > It's been ages. I'm thinking it was Panofsky. > > I didn't read your question carefully enough: Plural, > eh? Worringer, too? maybe Wolfflin? > > | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | > Michael Brady > [email protected]
