A Special Issue on the Library and Its Readers
Anthony Grafton, Jeffrey F. Hamburger, Peter Mack, Michael Baxandall, Elizabeth Sears, Georges Didi-Huberman, Carlo Ginzburg, Joseph Leo Koerner, Christopher S. Wood, Jill Kraye, Michael P. Steinberg, Caroline van Eck, Christy Anderson, Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann, Paul Crossley, Barbara Maria Stafford
Introduction: Warburg’s Library and Its Legacy In this collection of essays, scholars from many traditions and disciplines describe what a single academic institution has meant: to them, to their work, and to the humanities in the twentieth and twenty- first centuries. Named for a supremely imaginative historian of art and culture, Aby Warburg, the Warburg Institute began as his personal library in Hamburg (fig. 1). Devoted to the study of the impact of classical antiquity on European civilization, the collection became a major center of culture and scholarship in the years after World War I. While Warburg himself was incapacitated, his Viennese assistant, Fritz Saxl, turned the Library into a center for interdisciplinary scholarship. Erwin Panofsky, Ernst Cassirer, and many others found both materials and inspiration in the Library, and Warburg himself, when he returned, offered brilliant seminars on the his- tory of art and culture. A successful monograph series established the Warburg Library as a center of scholarship on the history of religion and philosophy as well
Common Knowledge 18:1 DOI 10.1215/0961754X-1456845 © 2012 by Duke University Press
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 2 scholarship original of and profound for scholars domicile a offered has Warburg Institute (fig. Bloomsbury in Woburn Square in new building butugly functional one institutions. of been Britain’s academic renowned has most Institute (fig. teaching and research of humanistic value ing Arnaldo Momigliano, Marjorie Reeves, and Gershom Scholem. The Scholem. The Gershom and Reeves, Marjorie Momigliano, Arnaldo as home, home such Yates, who away madeitfrom Frances their for others and D. P. and Rudolf Wittkower, Schmitt, Walker, Wind, Charles Edgar Gombrich, basis ahome on this — Institute 1944 In for anew building. upkeep and for its necessary funds the provide to Treasury the persuaded Butler education. higher British in innovation and for openness force agreat days those in was of which London, University of the it part make to dowas to way so only the that and Britain kept in be must Institute the that decided World of Education, Board Butler, Rab War president British of II, the of midst the In benefactors. help of the to British part in thanks Hamburg, from of Europe. landscape the webs across intellectual stitched projects collaborative and series Lecture of art. on that as Courtesy of the W Figure 1.AbyW , the University of London signed a trust deed in which it agreed to offer the the offer to it agreed which in deed atrust of London signed University , the In its old quarters at the Imperial Institute and, from winter winter from and, Institute Imperial at the old its quarters In In In 1933 — arburg and hissonM , as Germany entered its age of darkness, the Library was rescued rescued was Library the of entered age darkness, its Germany , as arburg Institute, London both for members of the staff, such as Michael Baxandall, Ernst Ernst Baxandall, Michael as such staff, of for members the both ax Adolph inW - endur the in faith university’s of the a testimony arburg’s study inHamburg. 2 ). Since then, the Warburg the ). then, Since 1958 Journal of of Journal on, in an an in on, 3 ), the the ), on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf ars whose work and thought continue to be challenging and provocative eighty eighty provocative and challenging be to continue work thought whose and ars founder of its learning and — prescience extraordinary the much more. and about scholarship of way thinking their changed work but for their materials vital with them clear, provided not it only has makes collection this in reprinted memoir Baxandall’s of Michael section the world. As the around from scholars drawn has collection organized uniquely and unique this acentury, For of opposites. coincidence almost the reader experiences the Institute, of shelves the the On astrology. discipline, sister unruly of astronomy’s accessible rapidly information make to — simply not designed is Library The Warburg himself. with originated which sification, of clas system moreover, aparticular by organized, Europe). are in They unusual (itself Warburg shelves on open as intended, readers to accessible made are books origin from the ancient Near East to the present the to East Near ancient the from origin almanacs — popular and treatises, learned sources, secondary and primary find you will and of astronomy history for the Look disjunction. of radical points the find to and connections of unexpected webs trace to reader both the challenge and proximity close in appear Judaism and philosophy, and Christianity “good religion science, neighbors.” and Magic unexpected their to pages, these in emphasizes Steinberg Michael as but also, for, he or looking she is books the to reader not only the bring will stacks burg War the into trip sustained Any investigations. scholarly channel and shape to libraries. But the quality of the Library’s holdings is extraordinary: some extraordinary: is holdings Library’s of the quality But the libraries. world’s the to when compared not is enormous research great collection The the rarest of them rarest the for Except Library. British the not in are shelves on its books percent of the Wittkower and Wind — editors, the by largely were written issues Warburg of the acreation as began — Institutes the Warburg Courtauld early and erudition and clarity are legendary. Several series of publications series legendary. Several are clarity and erudition of standards whose and century twentieth the to antiquity from runs coverage one whose periodical, interdisciplinary aunique as decades over the itself lished transformed by other streams. other by transformed and with intersecting constantly objects, and images, ideas, of texts, Mississippi agreat but as Strauss, of followers Leo the by inherited and Greeks by crafted variations its all in tradition, classical of the study the to dedicated remains Warburg The Institute scholars. classical professional first of the philology the to humanists Renaissance of the aesthetics the from and Lull, work of Ramon visionary and prophetic the to magic ritual and astrology of theof Warburg Institute Texts Surveys and The Warburg is special in many ways. It benefits, in the first place, from from place, first the in It benefits, ways. many in WarburgThe special is At the heart of the Warburg Institute is its Library of Library its is Warburg of Institute the heart the At — — have transformed areas of scholarship, from the history of history the from of scholarship, areas transformed have now being digitized and made universally available universally made and digitized now being , the , the Oxford- Warburg Studies texts, tables, and images that range in in range that images and tables, texts, might engine asearch as — — — as well as the vast literature literature vast the as well as , and the the , and not as a single set of texts of set texts not asingle as one of the rare schol rare the of one 350 Warburg Institute Warburg Institute , and has estab has and — 000 the the volumes. volumes. Studies Studies — but but the the 40 - - - -
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 4 preserve the W Courtesy of the W independent unit.” for the W bearing the University of London’s sealand signed by Figure 2.Trust deed for the arburg family and byViscount Leeof Fareham for the arburg Library inperpetuity inaccordance withthisDeed.asan arburg Institute, London. “The University will maintain and W arburg Library and Institute, Major Eric Max Warburg N ovember 28,1944, W arburg Society. on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf Figure 2.(continued )
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 6 burg). In ways that may not have been fully clear to him yet that he shared with with he shared yet that him to clear fully not may been have that ways In burg). alap- become I’ve instead, desert; Judean the in lion aroaring been have should “I that musing ancestry, Jewish his in pride Warburg expressed nonetheless faith, outside his wed to family own his within first the and Protestantism, to Judaism from verted ( Hertz Mary artist the to many. Married Ger Wilhelmine Jew in assimilated alargely as identity his with struggle his was acceptance for academic striving related his to Closely but frustration. nothing one, to encountering he aspired appointment, academic no had need of aregular place and time — of his conflicts on the reflecting and “Grenzgänger,” reflecting intellectual an as today us to speak to continue that qualities For of Warburg’s all social. as well as outer, as well as intellectual inner endured, he that conflicts many the to of Warburg’s consideration testifies closer and life independence, intellectual however, guarantees hardly fortune, of. Good dream only can academics most that ways in ideas, of received thus and of institutions independently live to means the with him provided Warburg’s wealth inherited energy. creative their of them many what gives is forces contradictory gle with intellectual model Warburg the represents Aby respects, many In death. his after years 1999. Courtesyof the W Figure 3.The Reading Roomof the — if, as the history of modern intellectuals suggests, a lifelong strug alifelong suggests, intellectuals of modern history the as if, - of Ham section (a bourgeois prosperous, Harvestehude” dog in he remained very much a man of his age. Although Warburg Although age. of his much aman very he remained arburg Institute, London W arburg Institute inW — 1866 oburn Square, London, his extraordinary adventurousness adventurousness extraordinary his – 1934 ), whose family had con had ), family whose - - - on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf hence the focus in his own work (and in his Library) on such subjects as magic magic as subjects on such Library) work (and his own in his in focus hence the particular; in Renaissance of the and general in of modernity feature a defining remained primitive, of the form the in often very past, of the resurgence better, or, survival the For enlightened. him, the to primitive the from line a straight followed that of it aprocess as think to as simpleminded never so he was terms, psychological in change he Though conceivedof cultural studies. of humanist work longit mainstream before his to entered the central psychology made burg memory, War of cultural embodiments repressed sometimes and powerful as but topoi notas simply understood symbols, and of images of Astudent age. ing com was itself of profession psychiatry when the at atime entered adulthood occult. the and magic with of obsession point the to fascinated was but who nonetheless recidivism cultural called be what might who feared opponent of an mystification diction: contra dialectical in astudy Warburg too, remains this In delighted. historian, a he, as which in data of historical mass critical the by work untrammeled as philosopher’s the Warburg regarded nonetheless illness, mental from suffered who also ofNietzsche, admirer grandeur.” An still and of “noblevision simplicity Winckelmann’s do to with nothing has tradition classical concept of the His side. Dionysian darker for its regard sufficient without it Apollonianism apale to reduce forms, superficial most its in of postmodernism vein the in that, classicism past. medieval the in roots its had that antimodernism anti- the in see could time, but same who, at the rituals, were meaningless for him, what, rejected aJew who as life own of his contradictions the matched some ways in culture fifteenth- of culture the Western in the and Islamic, the Mesopotamian, the pagan, the and Christian the secular, the and sacred the modern, the and medieval of the complex coexistence the Warburg recognized Renaissance, the emergedhad in full- that Burckhardt, from inherited and day his in dominant notion, the world. Rejecting changing arapidly in mercial, com and of power, political pursuit the with aims religious traditional combine sought to who themselves Sassetti, Franceso as such Quattrocento, of the ers bank of Florentine patronage on the studies famous most of his many in focused he of bankers, of afamily ascion spirit.” Himself in aFlorentine and heart, endeavors. scholarly his of core at the were stand to Suchconflicts age. of mores amore modern secular the and religion, in rooted of life, forms traditional between cusp at the him placed well- many Afflicted with depression and mental illness for much of his life, Warburg life, for much of his illness mental and depression with Afflicted of understandings anodyne to antidote Warburg’s apowerful work remains at “aHamburger as a Hebrewblood, by himself Warburg characterized century Italy. The ambiguity, bordering on dualism, of Renaissance of Renaissance on dualism, bordering Italy. ambiguity, The century to- do Jews in late- do in Jews Semitism that dogged him a crude renascence of another sort of sort of another renascence acrude him dogged that Semitism nineteenth- blooded modernism and individualism century Germany, Warburg’s Germany, position century - - - - -
Grafton and Hamburger • Introduction 7 on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf unwürdig ist, wenn Unfläterei, Gemeinheit, Unduld Gemeinheit, Unfläterei, wenn ist, unwürdig Deutschen eines Wenn dies suchen. zu ehrlich Wahrheit die Drang, den Treue und Pflichtgefühl, Elternhaus? meinem ich Was verdanke Deutscher. ich bin Denken 1 . CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 8 “Ich bin jüdischer Abstammung, aber im Fühlen und und Fühlen im aber Abstammung, jüdischer bin “Ich still wants to be German?” be to wants still who then German, as perceived are today lies and injustice, impatience, ness, - mean when defamation, of aGerman, unworthy is this all When truth. the for honestly search to compulsion the and truth, and of up?duty Asense I grew which in house do Iowe the to What aGerman. Iam thought and feeling but in ancestry, of Jewish am “I declared, famously United States, the to early grated who emi Boas, cultures. American native by fascinated was also and Hamburg Franz Boas ( Boas Franz anthropologist and geographer of the Warburg acontemporary Douglas. was Turner, Victor Mary and Geertz, Clifford as such work of the figures anticipate that ways in discipline) academic arespectable as itself established hardly had time at (a the that subject anthropology symbolic with engages also Warburg’s lecture of Freud’s. astudent Binswanger, doctor, Ludwig Yet skeptical his to sanity his and violence that the Hopi used not simply to manipulate the natural world, but natural the manipulate not to Hopi simply used the that violence and double- as snakes the interprets burg War situation. personal own his to pertinence its in but also insight its in only not Warburg’s however, choice of uncanny subject, was irrationality. and magic of primitive embodiment the as interpreted been have easily themselves could famine, avert thus and order rain produce to in of lightning), symbols as regarded (whichthey snakes with performed Indians Moki the that dances The pointed. prophetic. seems contemporaries his of of many positivism and contextualism narrow the look to beyond willingness Warburg’s renewed engagement, with perspectives anthropological to returned delivered in in delivered Ritual,” on Serpent “Lecture ever. moving His than more modern seems burg War history, of away exploring as subjectivity own his turn, in and, jectivity sub own on his of away reflecting as scholarship own his using In experience. of human expressions as Warburg images saw formation, of his time at the tice of barbarism.” adocument time not same is at the which of civilization no is document “there that Benjamin, with along insist, aconspiracy, as culture of notions jaundiced most the to do not subscribe they if who, even scholars day War let World I, alone War II — of reason fragility of the experience firsthand his and about enlightenment skepticism Freudian his In astrology. and Warburg’s choice of subject for his critical lecture was both brilliant and and brilliant both was lecture Warburg’s critical for choice his of subject Opposed to aestheticism, a dominant current in artistic thought and prac and thought artistic in current adominant aestheticism, to Opposed 1921 1858 at the Swiss sanatorium in Kreuzlingen, sought to demonstrate sought demonstrate to Kreuzlingen, in sanatorium Swiss at the – 1942 ), who, like him, participated in the intellectual milieu in in milieu intellectual the in participated him, ), who, like 1 At a time when many of the human sciences have have sciences human of the when many atime At - Warburg anticipated the mistrust of present- mistrust the Warburg anticipated sein?” an deutsch als heutzutage Lüge Ungerechtigkeit, samkeit, — gesehen werden, wer mag dann noch ein Deutscher Deutscher ein noch dann mag wer werden, gesehen edged therapeutic instruments of healing of healing instruments therapeutic edged and this, well before the horrors of World horrors the before well this, and - - - - - on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf make of its current activities. Compulsive as he was, the first thing he probably thing first the he was, as Compulsive activities. current of its make London today, in ponder one what he could would Institute his Warburg visit to Were suggestive. infinitely it remains but definitive, Anything consequential. so it remain to of of Warburg’s what permits incomplete) part aspect work represents simultaneously. directions many in points contradictions, own author’s its with keeping in one work, prophet, if whose intellectual an respects many in as seen be to come Rather, Warburg rightly has fathers. for founding pious to regard attributed be simply Warburg, cannot in therefore, of interest world. resurgence the The in anetwork within makers placetheir they which in ( Gell Alfred anthropologist of the efforts the to compared been has that imagery) votive to particular, approach (in ethnographic an Renaissance of the art rarefied of the Warburg study brought the to effect, In antecedent. Warburg an as claim also cross- as well as objects, of art analysis approaches the to Anthropological Warburg sympathetic. been wouldhave which to image, of the understanding of the atransformation been has there words, other In before. ever or “visual culture” in the English- the in culture” or “visual of images study new the approaches to recent decades, over Nevertheless, of for lack translations. only if Germany, in than countries English- in studied intensively were less impact work its and his recently quite until England, in Warburg of Institute the presence Despite the ration. of inspi look Warburg to asource as approaches that antithetical of often range dogmatism. ofmethodological kind any defies that connections unexpected to openness an Warburg’s remains legacy findings, of set let aloneaparticular amethod, More than scholarship. model for modern adynamic provide evolve, to continues legacy his which in laboratory the stitutes con volume, this in essays the by demonstrated as which, Library, his him, with Warburg and, terms. such solely in he not should evaluated too so be of art, works studying to when it came not influences did peddle Warburg as Just himself short. To at large. sciences social do however, so, and Warburgties sell to wouldbe more broadly, humani and, the history of art history on the impact enormous his Americas. of the territories charted less the Florenceto of Renaissance streets narrow the from footsteps his followed in Trexler, Richard who and Davis Zemon Natalie as such model for researchers a he provided time, same the At of scholarship. patterns unexpected in healing Warburg sought continents, across parallels seeking it. In understand to also fly under the same intellectual flag) intellectual same the under fly (a of which of set all related tendencies “Bildwissenschaft” call Germans what the This restless, multifaceted, and in many respects unresolved (and certainly (andcertainly unresolved respects many in and multifaceted, restless, This To see the truth of this assessment, one has only to acknowledge the wide wide the acknowledge to only one has assessment, ofthis To truth the see of grounds on the simply for made Warburg’s be could A case importance 1945 – 1997 ) to analyze the animation of images, as well as the ways ways the as well as of images, animation the analyze ) to — speaking world or (not an exact counterpart) world counterpart) or (not exact an speaking have become far more comprehensive than more than comprehensive far become have — whether “visual studies” studies” “visual whether cultural studies, can can studies, cultural speaking speaking - - -
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 10 have interested him. The inclusiveness of the iconographical method owes much owesmuch method iconographical of the inclusiveness The him. interested have images, in the form of film and video and of film form the in images, moving to advertisements from imagery, of popular sorts all include to history when Warburg died in 1929 when Warburg in died Mnemosyne name the he gave which to and flux perpetual in remained that atlas a picture was relationships historical web of shifting this for tool studying unconventional His space. and time across meanings interconnected their order reveal to in images visual display and frame to new ways with life his throughout tinkered and periods, all in and kinds all of exchanges cultural with scholar, obsessed Warburg was scholars). Avisionary long other most before for example, images, of moving importance vital the saw (he film and art religion, and of literature histories the through spread have he pioneered approaches that interdisciplinary the and English, and German both encouraged. himself Warburg that attention of prolonged, intense kind the encourages web hardly World emergence of the the saw that Web, Wide decades same the if the even notplaceover took coincidentally, field of that, the expansion current comed the wel wouldhave he presumably claims, methodological of set modern particular “image- an as of himself Warburg, think to who preferred Whatever categories. conventional outside the think to visitors were other force to they as designed divined, have sure that everything was in its properplace its in was everything that sure make to stacks the into rush to wouldbe doors the through would do on coming interpenetration of high and low and art of high interpenetration The instructive. remain nonetheless project Warburg’slated, for the ambitions rubric. asingle under tions preoccupa intellectual diverse his unify to effort asyntactical represents itself and texts, beyond history art invent an to of Warburg’scomplexity undertaking photographs of works of art (somewhere between (somewhere of of art between works photographs interlinked up of many built each screens, of large number indeterminate) still oblivion. historical of forces the with heroic it demanded struggles of tradition; invocation stale the more involved than memory of it.For versions Warburg, cultural reconstruct to bewegten Lebens in der Kunst der europäischen Renaissance” der europäischen der Kunst in Lebens bewegten der bei Darstellung Ausdruckswerte antiker vorgeprägter der Funktion suchung project of the title — full The death. at his incomplete defeated Warburg remained and ultimately project why the part in explains which images, hyperlink to effort aprescient as construed be easily can In recent years, Aby Warburg’s writings have been made newly available in in available newly made been have Warburg’s Aby writings recent years, In Unrealized and, given its nature, perhaps inevitably never fully articu never fully inevitably perhaps nature, its given and, Unrealized At the time of its destruction in in destruction of its time the At historian” than as an “art historian,” would have thought of any of thought any wouldhave historian,” “art an as than historian” and never published, though scholars have attempted attempted have scholars though published, never and — 1933 — , or memory. The project was unfinished , or memory. unfinished was project The and the amplification of art as well as art art as well as of art amplification the and all represent developments that would would representdevelopments that all , “Mnemosyne, Bilderreihe zur Unter zur Bilderreihe “Mnemosyne, — Mnemosyne places, however, that only he could he however, could places, only that 1 , 500 consisted of asizable (and consisted and 2 and ,000 — testifies to the the to testifies in toto), in and - - - - on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf ating the vision of a single individual. Warburg’s original model, with its internal internal its model, with Warburg’s original individual. of asingle vision the ating accomplishments. its preserving in and culture ancient helpingform to in worlds, both Latin and Greek outside the cultures roles playedby central the recognizes that and Byzantine), and (Western Ages Middle the includes that of older traditions, rereadings late antique in takes that ment of style develop the and of style study the to themselves should restrict historians art that who insisted School, Vienna of the especially contemporaries, his among border- ofthe tions restric the by in hemmed be to itself not allow does which analysis graphical cal imagery in the Schifanoia Palace, delivered in a lecture of alecture in delivered Palace, Schifanoia the in imagery cal zodia of the study of his remember).to characterization Nomemorable less his is do well ardent might followers most some of his that (a Detail” maxim im steckt Gott liebe “Der that dictum his remains him with associated phrase famous ideas. received disturb to but convey to also just not potential the with energy of cultural reservoirs “Pathosformeln,” powerful term, his were, use to mere conventions, being from far motives, pictorial burg, For invested. War as Warburg sawthem which with presence disturbing the of much of them stripping by materials such of way employing his bowdlerized development later, it its ossified in if often even respect, this Warburgto in ing is the continuity in the Institute’s vision of the classical tradition classical of the vision Institute’s the in continuity the is ing work his to were central that jects Sub decades. over the creation his remained has Warburg Institute the ways, some In of Warburg’s articles. collected translation useful very Institute’s Getty until McEwan, of Dorothea that to Germany; in others and Michels, Karen Diers, work of the to Michael thanks before, ever more than accessible now far are thought of his contours the and death. his long after model intellectual, the Warburg too, remains this, In of thought. patterns established power unsettle to the have to work whose continues represent apotentwhole, personality they unruly an as taken right: own its in a “Pathosformel” person own of his make ings Warburg’s personality, writ of his complexity the to directly relates which ture, of cul complexity of the understanding his In relevant. acutely remains avowal Warburg’s out, other each seek need to disciplines different reasons, practical Yet for pressing when, at atime interdisciplinarity. called come be to what has plea for aplatitudinous read as be Warburg’s easily too statement could defiant context. as construed be might that anything to than rather themselves, images example Yet the Institute is anything but a frozen monument dedicated to perpetu to monument dedicated but afrozen anything is Yet Institute the Although Warburg was anything but an antiquarian, perhaps the most the perhaps antiquarian, but an anything Warburg was Although The richness and originality of Warburg’s clear, are achievement scholarly originality and richness The — have continued to generate new work at the Institute. Even more strik generate to new work Institute. continued athave the — in short, to those aspects of images that were immanent to the the to were immanent that of images aspects those to short, in police.” In making this statement, Warburg referred to those those to Warburg statement, referred this police.” making In — 2010 the uses of myth and astrology in art, for art, in astrology and of myth uses the archivist at the Warburg; and to the the to Warburg; and at the archivist 1912 , as “an icono “an , as — a vision vision a ------
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 12 agreed very strongly on one central point: both believed in collaboration, at every at every collaboration, in believed both point: on one central strongly very agreed members. choice staff of its the in shown prescience and boldness the by astonished be to is institution alearned as Warburg’s of the years existence ninety the lookacross to back Still, generations. the across consistently so not pursued have been highlighted, Wittkower which architecture, like others, of inquiry; culture Institute’s the to additions manent per became topics complex additional topic. Some of the this address to ways new found all D. Burnett P. Charles and Walker, Yates, Schmitt, Frances Charles millennia: the across interacted magic and science which in ways the by fascinated Warburg was of aesthetics. history of the study center, for the for generations, a Institute Podro, the made Michael and Baxandall Michael Gombrich, Ernst and Florence. Rudolf Rome Wittkower and in Renaissance High of the tance impor central on the were, insisted they though different and, art Italian century for fifteenth- of Warburg Saxl passion and the shared They tradition. classical for the texts philosophical of formal importance central on the insisted Wind and Panofsky sculpture. English medieval and Mithraism as diverse as of subjects study for the own of his developed programs He London. also in and Hamburg in he assembled that images of photographic collections defined thematically the in and England) in discoveries Warburg’s own (as his explicated as method well he which in lectures accessible lucid, the in both of tradition, reconstructions Warburg’s simplified labile complex, and modified But he also gods. planetary the of wanderings Warburg’s the shared in interest Saxl of publications. authors as and bind them to the Institute the to them bind and scholars creative identify to time same at the and ways, influential and original highly in interests own their pursue to J. to Trapp B. down Kraye, Bing Jill and Gertrud and Saxl from librarians, and directors extraordinary Institute’s of the Warburg acore memberno of group. longer as the seen he was that United States, once he reached the had learn, to hurt and surprised was at Hamburg, professor who been Panofsky, had Italy. to long voyages Erwin when Warburg his made Institute the to returned and Hamburg Warburg in was while trips long research undertook Saxl of holdthem. to both small too building new Institute the men found two the Yet Hamburg, to when Warburg returned him. from dictation taking readand to Warburg materials bringing for atime, where he would stay Konstanz, to he traveled year Every loyal. passionately was and at Kreuzlingen, Warburg’s of illness long years during a publicinstitution as Library up the built Warburg’s as who assistant, began Saxl, conflicts. many been have there easy, never and been has generation to generation from change True, them. with methods and perspectives own who broughtcollaborators their of attracting start the from proved capable borders, almost fluid and conflicts For all their differences on questions of organization, Warburg and Saxl Warburg Saxl and of organization, on questions differences For their all Still, the conflicts have never mattered as much as the extraordinary ability ability extraordinary the much as as never have mattered conflicts the Still, — as fellows, as visitors, as members of staff, and and of staff, members as visitors, as fellows, as - - on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf themes related and world on historiography the spoke around from of scholars procession a long years where over the seminars, he legendary held Warburgat that his the it was important, Most of management. committee Institute’s on the served also later. years He provoke to debate sixty continues that and antiquaries Renaissance on of scholarship tradition Warburg’s the existing recast that Antiquarian” the Institute at — the lectures many gave turn his in Momigliano attractive. and accessible scholars of forgotten studies his would make that of presentation astyle devise helped him and learning, and Yates and brilliance Wittkower, appreciated his work: Saxl, his to central was early the in of history ancient professor became where London, he College at University position formal his had scholarship, sical of clas tradition of the historian learned proverbially the Momigliano, Arnaldo manuscripts. humanistic unknown and of uncataloged hundreds to Institute, cum transformative his published thought, of Renaissance historian greatest century’s twentieth the Kristeller, Paul Oskar there. activity professional of their parts vital located have staff, teaching of never members its who, while scholars of the tradition or on the antiquity and friars on English book abrilliant wouldyield subject outré apparently an that see to Bing’sto ability tribute who paid have many of the Yates two Frances only and are Smalley Beryl saw, rightly needed work: they as that, topics to scholars great assign to ability aspecial had Bing and Saxl individuals. and societies, institutions, with nerships Institutes — Courtauld and burg Patricia Crone and Fritz Zimmermann; historians of the classical tradition in in tradition classical of the historians Zimmermann; Fritz and Crone Patricia like tradition Islamic of the and Pingree, David like tradition Sanskrit of the London.Students College at University her career Warburg beginning before who worked at the Humphreys, Sally and Oxford; College, don atsics Balliol aclas as career his Warburg at beginning before the fellowship but formative Murray, who held abrief Oswyn Momigliano’swho attended Warburg seminars; Peter world ancient of Brown, the like students include Examples there. degree aformal started, or even who never took, moreover,ences, scholars for many lectual history in Britain. center of intel leading Warburg the the made offer. For Momigliano decades, to criticisms fundamental had but also them grasped not had only presentations, “fiercely mandarin” “fiercely energy. being Far much of spent so his from Saxl on which editions, and catalogs lexica, and for bibliographies projects and series Warburg,to publication the to art- international the from level, , a finding list that has given dozens of scholars access, through the Warburg the through access, of scholars dozens given has that list , afinding Over the generations, the Institute has also been able to attract exceptional exceptional able been attract to also has Institute the generations, the Over Teaching and working in the Library have been transformative experi transformative been have Library the in Teaching working and — and discovered that their host, who had appeared to sleep through their their sleep to through who appeared had host, their that discovered and — Journal of the of War Journal the once described Steiner George as the Warburg has a long history of seeking part of seeking along Warburg history has the historical conferences that mattered so much much so mattered that conferences historical notably one titled “Ancient History and and “Ancient History notably one titled 1950 s. But the Warburg Institute Warburg Buts. Institute the ars memorativa Iter itali Iter . ------
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 14 the Renaissance,” “Dante and the Medieval Transmission of the Classical Tradi Classical of the Transmission Medieval the and “Dante Renaissance,” the in Elements Arabic and Authorities “Islamic Culture,” Material “Renaissance Renaissance,” the in Devotion Reformation,” and “Art the in Sanctity and “Sin MA year decades for do offer both lectures for University of London undergraduates for University lectures both offer to began Institute the London, in established Once do not realize. humanists most even that extent an to capacity that in succeeded it and has institution, it as vocation. pursuits of those both took that institution spent at an they time the to apple upset and carts borders cross to bold willingness of their Jardine Lisa like of modernity historians and Dionisotti, Carlotta like Ages Middle the terpret ancient texts and images. and texts ancient terpret rein to times, and places specific very in what it meant, with terms to comes and documents, archival transcribe read to and learns history, literary and intellectual of contexts historical wider the in or herself him- steeps texts, as well as images with works words, Warburg, other at the in MA an who takes Everyone sance. Renais the in philosophy of fate classical the and imagery; of mythological study the iconology,of knowledge; use including and understanding for writers’ tions - implica their and education, of humanist core disciplines the dialectic, and ric history. art and of philology disciplines traditional the by informed objects, and images, of texts, interpretation rigorous more majorum,” “hermeneutica what he called able be practice to students that he insisted seminars, own his In of art. works other and prints with directly matter, moreover, for subject working and passion he neverhis lost for symbols Usener. For Warburg’s Hermann all philologist passion classical great of the tion instruc the from he profited greatly at Bonn astudent As seminar. the and sium Gymna classical of the discipline austere equally the but never against antiquity of vision austere Winckelmann’s Warburg against rebelled Germany. in than English- the in emphasized less been has that Warburg’s teaching of aspect an to back hark classes These Latin. postclassical in test a translation examination, MA of their part as take, must students all and classes; reading take can Latin mastered who not have already Students London collections. in scripts images” photographic and of dissertations preparation atext, editing centuries, teenth six and fifteenth the in palaeography, printing of manuscripts, “description “Techniques of in Scholarship” training Rigorous sides. many its to them mid- 1960 Almost from the beginning, moreover, the Warburg has been a teaching moreover, ateaching been Warburg has the beginning, the from Almost Optional courses rheto history; political cover Italian that courses required take students All — — — s, atwo- s, these and other groundbreaking scholars have owed at least something owed have at something least scholars groundbreaking other and these rests in part on original materials, including rare books and manu and books rare including materials, on original part in rests brought students into the Institute for a shorter period and exposed exposed and period for ashorter Institute the into brought students — and supervision for students working on doctorates. From the From the on doctorates. working for students supervision and program MPhil — year — those to be offered in the the in offered be to those more recently transformed into aone- into transformed more recently 2011 – 12 academic year include include year academic — as it continued to to itas continued speaking world speaking — ------on 01 October 2021 by guest Downloaded from http://read.dukeupress.edu/common-knowledge/article-pdf/18/1/1/397766/CK181_01Grafton_Fpp.pdf Hebrew, Arabic, and Coptic, patristics and biblical exegesis, mathematics and and mathematics exegesis, biblical and patristics Hebrew, Coptic, and Arabic, wide- the to humanists of the editions classical the from ship, the the problems. Since historical and textual with scholar, deeplya formidable engaged Petrarch in revealed but also of Livy tradition textual of the understanding arly schol revised not only Warburg, Billanovich, at fellow the Giuseppe research ian Ital one an by this later, Ayear article, asecond scientists. and historians porary work of contem the and antiquaries modern early of the scholarship the between connections multiple tracing tradition, this enlarged Institutes Courtauld and publications. of Warburgian of astream objects the form to continued have artists on contemporary impact their and finds, recorded their they which in codices others), and the Ligorio, d’Ancona, Pirro (Ciriaco of antiques hunters ous adventur The life. flickering to back came sacrifice and of worship rituals ancient which in ways the following of inscriptions, ancient transcripts their and reliefs of ancient drawings antiquarians’ the studied one another. He expertly nourished imagination and Warburg’s how scholarship in interest pursuing century, teenth fif of the passions antiquarian on the vividly wrote Saxl Poliziano. Angelo poet and scholar Florentine of the reading on close part in rested work on Botticelli Warburg’s of antiquity. understandings earlier understanding to itself devoted Warburg has the we seen, have as Fromstart, approaches. and the methods Today of editor History aformer don Marsden, (Gor MP Labour influential an even and Cliff); Michelle Rodriguez, (Richard writers Webb); Ruth rhetoric Mack, (Peter distinguished of classical tradition the of students Meserve); Margaret Lowe, (Kate of Italy especially historians, Scafi); Alessandro Goulding, Robert Park, (Katharine forms multiple its all of in science historians include alumni Its been. has how impact broad clear its makes fellows pre- as harbored it has scholars young the and it sponsored, had dissertations doctoral the offered, Warburg has the master’slook courses at the Yet abrief even Australia. in Smith William Bernard and United States; the in Wright Silver, David and Larry Sears, Elizabeth Kaufmann, DaCosta Thomas Britain; in Onians John and Smith, Saumarez Charles Roy Strong, for example, years: hundred last of the historians art learned and original most of the many art- it apurely as whole part. or in in published been have years, over the of which, many and research on primary rest must which dissertations, for their subjects the find help and students tion, Criticism” Trends,— Dissemination, tion,” “Sixteenth- 1950 In In development the of new in finally, converged, have Teaching research and of think often directly Warburg Institute the who do not know Those s, the Institute has become a center for studies in the history of scholar history the in acenter for become studies has Institute the s, 1950 , a pioneering article by Momigliano in the the in Momigliano by article , apioneering Century European Literature,” and “Early Modern Scepticism: Scepticism: Modern “Early and Literature,” European Century historical institution. And it has trained, or helped to train, or helped train, to trained, it has And institution. historical give opportunities for individual explora for individual opportunities give ). Journal of the of Warburg Journal ranging studies of studies ranging and postdoctoral ------
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CO MMO N KNOWLED GE 16 — world. intellectual the in position acentral established securely has Warburg Institute the teaching, and center a of inquiry as record unmatched its and resources assembled unique its in talents, academic varied gather to ability gravitational unique its and approach scholarship to mopolitan cos its In of enterprises. range adazzling support to resources modest its used has and institution, larger afar to would do credit that pursuits of scholarly range a fostered de siècle, it has fin the scholarship, of age radical great of that scholars innovative most of work one thought of and the the in Fromenclave. origins its forms. their all in symbol and myth of history the as tradition Warburgian of the apart now established is as forms, its all in past, ancient ofthe study exacting of precise, history The of partners. anumber with Ligota, led Christopher by and founded of Scholarship, History along- by nurtured been have studies of these Many centuries. seventeenth and late sixteenth of the polymaths the occupied astronomy, that Anthony Grafton and Jeffrey F. Hamburger Jeffrey and Grafton Anthony The Warburg Institute, in other words, has been anything but asheltered anything been has words, other in WarburgThe Institute, running seminar, seminar, running -