Fig. 1:
Fig. 2:
Erwin Panofsky’s three-level framework of iconographic analysis_6
| Object of interpretation | Act of interpretation |
|---|---|
| I – Primary or natural subject matter – (A) factual, (B) expressional – constituting the world of artistic motifs. | Pre-iconographical description (and pseudo-formal analysis). |
| II – Secondary or conventional subject matter, constituting the world of images, stories and allegories. | Iconographical analysis in the narrower sense of the word. |
| III – Intrinsic meaning, or consent, constituting the world of ‘symbolical’ values. | Iconographical interpretation in a deeper sense (Iconographical synthesis). |