Semiotics in Art History and Theory

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Questions and Answers

Why does semiotics recommend including the present context in the analysis of 'context'?

To avoid historiography presenting itself in an exclusively aoristic or constative mode.

What does the historiographic scruple mentioned in the text urge us to do in terms of understanding historical differences?

To draw a line between 'us' and historical 'them' to see both differences.

How does the text suggest using 'context' in relation to 'us' when making accounts?

As a means to locate ourselves and not to bracket out our own positionalities.

What is the main reason for treating semiotics as a perspective in the presentation?

To make the presentation more directly and widely useful. Signup and view all the answers

Which two early figures are considered in the discussion due to space limitations?

Charles Sanders Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main concept discussed in section 6 in relation to art history?

The gaze. Signup and view all the answers

How does psychoanalysis connect with semiotics according to the text?

By demonstrating a variety of ways they are bound together and useful for art history. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of looking does the text emphasize as crucial in art history?

Gender differentiation. Signup and view all the answers

What are the first three sections of the text primarily focused on?

Semiotic critique of 'context' in art-historical discussion. Signup and view all the answers

What is the most 'scientific' stage of attribution in art history?

The stage where the category of authorship is decided based on material evidence. Signup and view all the answers

What techniques are commonly employed in art history attribution that are similar to those used by a detective?

Techniques to establish whether an artwork is authentic or fake. Signup and view all the answers

How does attribution in art history differ from pure science and technology?

It involves subtler and more ideologically motivated considerations concerning quality and stylistic standardization. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'author' refer to in art history after the stage of forensic analysis?

The putative creative subject. Signup and view all the answers

What technologies can assist in the scientific stage of attribution in art history?

X-rays, spectroscopic analysis, cryptography. Signup and view all the answers

In what ways does attribution in art history extend beyond pure forensic analysis?

By considering quality, stylistic standardization, and ideological motivations. Signup and view all the answers

How has feminist cultural analysis incorporated semiotic tools?

By recognizing the relevance and efficacy of semiotic tools for its goals. Signup and view all the answers

Why was feminism relegated to the margins in the context of semiotic theory?

Due to lack of space and the risk of overlap with an earlier survey article on feminism and art history. Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of the presentation after discussing psychoanalytically oriented semiotics?

The interpretive and descriptive, but also critical, value of a semiotically based narrative theory or narratology for the study of images. Signup and view all the answers

How does the text challenge the traditional view of history painting?

By demonstrating the specifically visual ways of storytelling enabled by semiotics, rather than viewing it as merely illustrative of old stories. Signup and view all the answers

What intersections were intended to be presented between feminism, gender theorizing, semiotics, and art history?

The 'feminist turn' in semiotic theory itself. Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of a semiotically based narratology for studying images?

It provides interpretive, descriptive, and critical insights into images that often have a narrative aspect not rooted in literature. Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the variations on the theme of nonadmission in the concept of 'authorship'?

Excluding whole genres, historically variable decisions, and economic influences Signup and view all the answers

How does graphic art in our time exist in relation to the concept of 'authorship'?

It fluctuates between authorship (some graphics in magazines bear signatures) and anonymity (others do not) Signup and view all the answers

What role does the economic matrix play in defining 'authorship'?

It has historically developed alongside the institution of property, making 'authorship' a legal and monetary operation Signup and view all the answers

When does the expectation of authorship arise in photography?

For example, when photographs appear in museums Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the forces that influence the borders of 'authorship'?

Economic factors, legal and monetary operations, history of copyright law, and writing protocols Signup and view all the answers

How are 'authorship' and 'context' related in terms of regressions and mises-en-abyme?

Both 'authorship' and 'context' involve regressions and recursive processes Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Semiotics and Art History

Semiotics is treated as a perspective, raising questions around and within the methodological concerns of art history.
The semiotic critique of 'context' is a central concern in art-historical discussion.
The origins and history of semiotics are explored, including the contributions of Charles Sanders Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure.

Context and Semiotics

'Context' is not a given in art-historical analysis, but rather a means to locate oneself and understand one's own positionalities.
The concept of 'context' is problematic and can be seen as a legislative idea that brackets out one's own position.
Semiotics recognizes the importance of considering one's own position and the determinations of historiography as a performative discourse active in the present.

Psychoanalysis and Semiotics

Psychoanalysis is connected to semiotics through an awareness of gender differentiation and the heterogeneous and polysemous nature of looking.
The concept of the gaze is central in art history and is closely tied to psychoanalysis and semiotics.

Authorship and Semiotics

Authorship is not just a physical origin, but also a putative creative subject.
Attribution in art history involves not just material evidence, but also ideological considerations concerning quality and stylistic standardization.
The concept of authorship is closely tied to the institution of property and the history of copyright law.

Narratology and Semiotics

Semiotics enables a critical and descriptive analysis of images, including those with a narrative side that is not necessarily literary.
Narratology is a valuable tool for understanding the specifically visual ways of storytelling in images.

Feminism and Semiotics

Feminist cultural analysis has seen the relevance of semiotic tools for its own goals.
The intersection of feminism, semiotics, and art history is an important area of study, but is not fully explored in this text due to space limitations.

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Description

Explore the application of semiotic perspectives in art history and theory, focusing on diverse theorists and art historians who utilize semiotic questioning. Delve into the methodological concerns raised by semiotics within the field of art history.