ABSTRACT
In his Meaning in the Visual Arts Erwin Panofsky sets out to represent his lifetime's work. One of his main objectives was to extend the notion of meaning beyond the traditional identification of subject matter. In "Iconography and Iconology", Panofsky attempts to explain what meaning in the visual arts actually is, his main intention being to give a clear picture of his methodological premises. Panofsky's thinking is based on his conception of art history as essentially a humanistic discipline, mainly because of his need as an art historian to recreate aesthetically the artistic intentions of a work of art. He conceived works of art first of all as objects designed for a practical function: vehicles of communication or tools. Because of the diverse themes presented in the book, a closer look at particular essays is necessary in order to assess how original the author's initial thinking was and the extent to which certain of his ideas changed over time.
