Perspective as Symbolic Form Quotes

“... not only did perspective elevate art to a "science"... the subjective visual impression was indeed so far rationalized that this very impression could itself become the foundation for a solidly grounded and yet, in an entirely modern sense, "infinite" experiential world. One could even compare the function of Renaissance perspective with that of critical philosophy... The result was a translation of psychophysiological space into mathematical space; in other words, an objectification of the subjective.”
― Erwin Panofsky, Perspective as Symbolic Form

“For Riegl the primary level of facts was not style itself (the morphology), nor even the sequence of objects, but the Kunstwollen of an epoch, just as for Wölfflin it was the form of seeing.”
― Erwin Panofsky, Perspective as Symbolic Form

“Reform or no reform, he never ceased to promote the interests of St. Denis and the Royal House of France with the same naive, and in his case not entirely unjustified, conviction of their identity with those of the nation and with the Will of God as a modern oil or steel magnate may promote legislation favorable to his company and to his bank as something beneficial to the welfare of this country and to the progress of mankind.”
― Erwin Panofsky, Perspective as Symbolic Form