Analyze the phenomenon of misreading in the history of image evidence

Author: Han Weihua (Associate Professor, School of Government and Management, Nanjing University)

The German scholar Panofsky pointed out in "Iconographic Studies": "The art historian must corroborate the intrinsic meaning of the works or groups of works he is concerned with and as many other cultural historical sources as possible that are relevant to them." At the same time, he emphasized: "Conversely, historians who study political activity, poetry, religion, philosophy, and social situations should also use works of art in this way." "Since Panofsky laid the research method of iconography, the historical value of images has been valued by more and more scholars. Although historians and art historians have different research methods, they generally agree that images that have survived the baptism of time (broad images covering architecture, statues, murals, oil paintings, cartoons, etc.) can provide some direct insight into the past and have important enlightenment significance for restoring history. Today's images are no longer merely seen as a complement to written material, but are themselves seen as a kind of visual historical text, an important representation of the interpretation of a particular zeitgeist. Re-examining history through the method of mutual verification of graphics and texts may gain new insights, and gradually become the consensus of the academic community.

The representative of the Siena school, Ambrogio Lorenzetti, painted "The Influence of Good Government in the City" for the Town Hall of Siena. Profile picture

However, it should be noted that images are sometimes deceptive and imply a dangerous misleading effect. Oxford art historian Francis Haskell argues that elaborate masterpieces of art often obscure the sufferings of war and the rise and fall of empires with their "sweet and innocent illusions", with the bewilderment of reversing facts. So to what extent is an image likely to contain some kind of flashy misleadingness? When appreciating images, how to effectively warn of the "misplaced view" that may be contained in them? These are all questions that need to be considered when using images to prove history. In those older images, the relevant supporting literature is often missing, which is more likely to cause distortions in later generations.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti, a representative of the Siena School, painted a group of "Metaphors and Influences of Good and Bad Government" (1338-1339) for the Town Hall of Siena. Most viewers were misled by its title into thinking that the murals expressed the core idea of political philosophy: the distinction and influence of good and bad governments. In fact, the "Good Government and Bad Government" was not named after the painter, and the group of murals is referred to in all early texts as "Peace and War". From a iconographic point of view, Western medieval art was mostly metaphorical religious works. The interpretation of "The Metaphor and Influence of Good and Bad Government" is insufficient if it is limited to the level of painting to satirize current politics. Although the frescoes do not directly appear in the images of Jesus and the Virgin, this group of frescoes can also be regarded as pictorial works of medieval political theology, given that Ambrogio made extensive use of the Christian schema tradition and allegorical figures in it. The "Metaphor of Good Government" mural is a highly idealistic work, conveying a harmonious atmosphere that is very different from the reality of Siena in the 14th century. The scene of the ideal city and countryside in the mural is like the irony of real society, but the "irony of bad government" is closer to the real situation at that time. In addition to the allegories of peace and war, benevolence and tyranny, the whole group of murals actually has a grander purpose. The textile, farming, and hunting activities that appear in the murals seem to simply represent the appearance of sentient beings, but in fact reflect the popular astrological theory in the Middle Ages: people work according to the chronological order and the month, cooperate with each other in a harmonious and orderly manner, and jointly maintain the operation of the city-state. In addition, the upper and lower edges of the fresco are decorated with anthropomorphic images of the sun, the moon, the seven planets, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the medieval "Seven Arts of Freedom". Thus, the entire group of murals presents a broader picture of the world of the late Middle Ages, in which the various allegories of virtue and evil are consistent with the movement of celestial bodies and the large universe of the changing seasons.

Raphael's The Academy of Athens (c. 1510–1511) was one of the most famous masterpieces of Renaissance painting, and was widely controversial because the painter left no words about the creative process. However, since the publication of convincing papers by John Sherman of Harvard University and the British art historian Gombrich in the late 20th century, there has been a certain consensus in the Western academic community on the interpretation of the Athenian Academy. The key to an accurate interpretation of the Academy of Athens is not only to identify the names of the characters in the painting, but also to reveal the zeitgeist and religious connotations condensed behind this masterpiece. Although the central figures in the Picture of the Academy of Athens are Plato and Aristotle, given that the former had a great influence on the early Latin church fathers, and the latter doctrine was an important pillar of scholastic philosophy, the core doctrine of Christianity is actually directly related to the doctrine of the two men, otherwise the pope would not have let their images appear in his study signing hall. The architectural background of the Athenian Academy is not a classical Greek temple, but a typical Catholic church. The two statues of Apollo and Minerva on the background of the fresco architecture also have a subtle metaphorical relationship with Christianity. Thus, in the Athenian Academy, the Greek philosopher is placed in the context of the Holy See. Raphael's philosophical temple actually means Christian theology hidden in ancient wisdom. As an integral part of the series of dozens of paintings in praise of the Church of Christ in the four Raphael Halls of the Vatican, the "Athens Academy" cannot be simply regarded as an ode to the renaissance era of a hundred schools of thought competing for the prosperity of classical scholarship. At the beginning of the 16th century, the "Athens Academy" was not a work of art for visitors to see, but a model of "religious imagery" recognized by the Holy See as conforming to Christian doctrine. This often misunderstood painting provides modern people with a vivid case of reflecting on the complex relationship between church and state in the Renaissance and the Reformation. Ironically, since the end of the 17th century, with the growing influence of rational thought, the Christian theological correct interpretation of the Athenian Academy has been considered a misreading.

The Flemish painter Rubens's 24 paintings for Marie de' Medici depict a series of paintings (1622-1625) depicting her legendary career show the ups and downs of the life of the widow of King Henry IV of France. Given that Rubens did not "name" each painting after completing the Medici group paintings, there has long been a misunderstanding as to the exact meaning of the group paintings. The misleading reader often focuses on the composition's depiction of the exploits of Marie de' Medici, while deliberately skipping the more controversial issues lurking in the paintings. In fact, the Medici group paintings are not a naked tribute to the patrons, the last few works in the group paintings, "The Treaty of Angoulême" and "Peace concluded in Angers", are a bold portrayal of marie de Medici and her son Louis XIII, and the struggle for power between the post-party and the royal party. Traditional historical narrative painting follows a grand style, and there can be no scenes that damage the dignity of the protagonist. Although the Medici group paintings are commissioned commissioned works, they transcend such procedures and dramatically present the complexity and variability of realpolitik. Using a rhetorical strategy of using both fiction and reality, Rubens fused classical deities, anthropomorphic images and secular rulers in the group paintings, achieving the political effect of painting multiple levels. The final addition to the entire set of paintings, "The Good Times of the Regency", is the best example, in which Rubens uses some kind of imaginative way to refine the meaning of the unstable regency career of the queen, without specifically depicting the benefits of her rule. As a poetic work containing multiple metaphors, the themes of historical narrative and political fables intersect and penetrate each other in group paintings, constituting a complex deep meaning of the image. The political game between the queen and the king, which looms from time to time in the Medici group paintings, is seen as a reflection of the tortuous journey of modern France towards an absolutist state.

Through the above enumeration of several classic cases from late medieval to modern France, it can be found that image misreading is a common phenomenon. In order to avoid going astray in the process of pictorial history, we should bear in mind Panofsky's admonition: "Iconography is an interpretive method derived from synthesis rather than analysis." "The testimony provided by the images needs to be examined in a series of political, culturally diverse contexts. Images are an integral part of the culture as a whole, and without sufficient understanding of the historical context in which they are based, it is impossible to gain insight into the true meaning of images. If we lack the necessary knowledge of classical culture and Christian theology, we are likely to misunderstand even a seemingly well-known historical image like the Athenian Academy. Only by focusing on the historical background, the original placement and function of image creation, and examining its visual effects and textual sources, can we more accurately restore and clarify the original meaning of the image.

Guangming Daily ( 2022.03.21 14th edition)

Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily