1 2 3 4 5 6 THE WARBURG INSTITUTE 7 8 AND ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY 9 10 11 12 13 Caroline van Eck 14 15 16 17 18 At first sight, classical architecture, with its continuous revivals and reworkings 19 of the forms of Greek and Roman building, would seem to offer a privileged field 20 to apply Aby Warburg’s central notion of the survival of antiquity and his view 21 of art history’s unfolding as a process of remembrance, of Mnemosyne. Yet War- 22 burg himself wrote very little on architecture, and after auspicious and impres- 23 sive beginnings by Rudolf Wittkower, Richard Krautheimer, Georg Kubler, and 24 Nikolaus Pevsner, the role of architectural history in the activities of the War- 25 burg Institute, its Library and Journal, dwindled. A brief survey of the Journal of 26 the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes shows that, up to the early 1970s, it published 27 three to four articles on architectural topics every year. Among them are classics 28 in the field that have kept their value to the present day, such as Wittkower’s arti- 29 cles on perspective and Palladianism, Robin Middleton’s article on Cordemoy, 30 or Krautheimer’s on medieval iconography.1 Beginning in the mid-­1970s, archi- 31 32 1. Richard Krautheimer, “Introduction to an ‘Iconogra- tauld Institutes 6 (1943): 154 – 64; George Kubler, “Archi- 33 phy of Mediaeval Architecture’,” Journal of the Warburg tects and Builders in Mexico, 1521 – 1550,” Journal of the and Courtauld Institutes 5 (1942): 1 – 33; Rudolf Wittkower, Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 7 (1944): 7 – 19; Robin 34 “Brunelleschi and Proportion in Perspective,”, Journal Middleton, “The Abbé de Cordemoy and the Graeco- 35 of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 16 (1953): 275 – 91; ­Gothic Ideal: A Prelude to Romantic Classicism,” Jour­ 36 Wittkower, “Pseudo-­Palladian Elements in English Neo- nal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 25 (1962): ­Classical Architecture,” Journal of the Warburg and Cour­ 278 – 320. 37 38 Common Knowledge 18:1 39 DOI 10.1215/0961754X-1456935 40 © 2011 by Duke University Press

41 131

CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 131 9/12/11 10:57:56 AM CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 132 East and West: A Study in Comparative Method,” Method,” Comparative in Study A West: and East 3 Institutes Courtauld and Warburg the Novella,” of Façade Maria of the Santa Funding Institutes Courtauld Method,” angelo’s Architectural 2 . .

Common Knowledge 132 David Hemsoll, “The Laurentian Library and Michel and Library Laurentian “The Hemsoll, David R. A. Jairazbhoy, “The Taj Mahal in the Context of Context the in Taj Mahal “The Jairazbhoy, A. R. an iconographical an approach that was based on Warburg’s and Wittkower’s ideas from period this awayin moving architecture Renaissance and classical on ing work historians but architectural kower’s also with from the Institute, departure gradual subsiding of may interest history have to architectural in do Witt with Laurentiana. Bibliotheca the in method Michelangelo’s to Novella design Maria ofSanta funding the on articles from ranging contributions diverse very 2003 between hiatus an with frequent, less became contributions tectural yet also very different in a way that even then announced the divergence between which appeared in ofreproduction many (and large) plates at relatively lowbook, cost. The resulting the allow would that procedure printing new a using it publish to offered who the provinces. Publication in book form was suggested by a visitor, a Mr. Jarrold, in London in shown first Itwas Saxl. Fritz and Wittkower by London was the exhibition and the Mediterranean “British Art World,” curated in reopening after its the of Institute publicWarburg Onefirst of activities the Revivals of Antiquity on British Soil heritage. classical built of the investigations and questions new for points ing thatargue Warburg’s own thought offers important, and hardly explored, start Mnemosyne to Aby Warburg’sbe can respectively connected ideas on that features distinct two, by distinguished is Warburg ofthe context Institute founder’s thought? My argument is that the architectural history developed in the so,if roleto whatits the is WarburgAnd of the history? distinction Library, in studies. reception essay on Renaissance tovillas Suzanne Lang’s early contribution to architectural by George Kubler and architecture Mexican Newor Western,Indian, on studies comparative early to perspective from studies, Wittkower’s ofarchitectural work on Renaissance proportion and of building. toward other fields,such as patronage studies orthe socialand economic history

66 ( . After After . 2003 The first decades of the Institute show an astonishing variety and scope scope and variety astonishing an show Institute the of decades first The ): ): 29 , and to the organization and holdings of the Library. But I will also also Library.ofholdings and the But organization Iwill tothe ,and 2003 Journal of the Warburg and and Warburg the of Journal –

62

67 ; Rab Hatfield, “The “The Hatfield, Rab ; architecture became incidentally present in the ( 3 2004 1949 But we of speak can a Warburgian approach to architectural ), ), , was close very to Aby Warburg’s image atlas 81 Journal of –

1 28 Jour . ­ - tauld Institutes tauld the Temples at Paestum,” ( Villa,” 59 nal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes R. A. Jairazbhoy; R. and A. Jairazbhoy; from James Ackerman’s 1951 –

88 ): ): ; James Ackerman, “The Belvedere as a Classical Classical a as Belvedere “The Ackerman, James ; 70 Journal of the Warburg and Institutes Courtauld –

9 1 ; Suzanne Lang, “The Early Publications of of Publications Early “The Lang, Suzanne ;

13 . 1 / 2 ( 1950 Journal of the Warburg and Cour and Warburg the of Journal ): ): Nachleben der Antike der Nachleben 48 –

6 4 1941 . Journal , then toured toured then , Mnemosyne

24 1992 . 1 / 2 , with with , 2 ( The 1961 and and and

14 - - - ): ): , ­

9/12/11 10:57:56 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 133 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 The Variety of Sources. Photo Copyright: Royal (Oxford: Oxford University Press, Figure 1. Fritz Saxl and Rudolf the subsequent period. subsequent the to part the wrote Saxl Mediterranean 4 classical of revival the astronomy; and botany, lore, animal forms; classical of dealt also its Celticthey various and renaissances revivals; with transformations present- to whatdegree Warburg’sglobal, anthropological interest imagesin announced decades overpast clear history, but the it become academic increasingly art has with odds at much very was material and subjects of choice this time, the At photographs, political propaganda,and scrapbook statues,stills, film fragments. newspaper culture, visual popular and art high included Warburg subjects. of broadscope a share also volumes The notes. explanatory to artists, and places, page has the accompanying text, varying from mere captions listing names, dates, (Figures display to wanted he connections whose images images, the recalling felt boards in Hamburg on which Warburg used to pin the umes are very similar: the right hand page of the British volume offers a collage of Warburg ofInstitute. the London phases and Hamburg the .

Fritz Saxl and Rudolf Wittkower, Wittkower, Rudolf and Saxl Fritz Saxl Saxl and Wittkower did not limit themselves to high art from antiquity and day visual culture studies or or studies culture visual ­day (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1500 , Wittkower the chapters on on chapters the Wittkower , Wittkower, 1948 ), plate British Art and the the and Art British British Art and the Mediterranean 46 Library, The Hague, Bildwissenschaft. . Saint Paul’s Cathedral: 1948 ). ). N etherlands.

1

and and 4 Physically, the vol Physically, the 2 ); the left hand hand left); the - 9/12/11 10:57:57 AM

van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 133 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 134 part part in Brink, and Claudia. Warnke Martin 5 .

Aby Warburg, intro. to to intro. Warburg, Aby Common Knowledge 134 2 , vol. , vol. 1 (Berlin: Akademie- (Berlin: What What antique works did these Renaissanceknow? artists What did they borrow, concrete art- fairly raise interests Such maenads. ancient of that Venus recalls Botticelli’s of thatancient oftenrecall figure sarcophagi,statues, or the Thusmedals.drapery ists memory. and art classical of afterlife the on profoundly. changed had treated were themes these which in presenceconstant the of instance, Michelangelo art).British in But manner the (for Warburg’s exhibited It continuities and also toconnections detect capacity Warburg. occupied that themes the of many World”addressed thus terranean nineteenth- many of of (Figures displays museum statues precursor ­century the and sculpture for setting a as hall neoclassical Cathedral; the strong influence ofMichelangelo on Britishart; and the role ofPaul’s Wren’s theSaint for Christopher Sir sources Roman Britain; to art classical scripts; humanistic mythology; the role of ofin the transmission Flemish artists M Figure editerranean,”

— 2 Warburg’s introduction to to Warburg’sintroduction

Pollaiuolo, Donatello, Michelangelo . The Der Bilderatlas Mnemosyne Bilderatlas Der W ­Verlag, arburg Institute, Photographic 1941 ­historical issues of recognition, attribution, and artistic intention. , Panel XXXV, Copyright and Photo: The Gesammelte Werke Gesammelte 2000 ), ), 3 –

8 . , ed. ed. , , Mnemosyne Exhibition “English Art and the

— ( 3

attitudes, expressions, and gestures 1927 5 and and In the work of Renaissance art Renaissance of work the In W arburg Institute. – 4

29 ). “British Art and the Medi the and Art “British ). ) isa profound meditation - - 9/12/11 10:57:58 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 135 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 Copyright and Photo: The Figure influence, and the imitation or transformation of the classical heritage theclassical of transformation or imitation the and influence, transmission, of origins, study historical into the issues odologicalcultural and on presence. elements, By these he focusing muchliving introduced wider meth facial expressions, attitudes, or gestures that express strong emotions suggesting a called he what mainly but elements classical of reuse Nachleben did they aim to solve by the employment of classical elements? For Warburg,problem what and artistic of transmission; such what channels whom, through from 3 . Aby became an issue with immense ramifications. Hedid not consider every W arburg, Mnemosyne Atlas, W arburg Institute. 1929 , panel 45

Pathosformeln : draperies, draperies, :

—

issues issues - 9/12/11 10:58:00 AM

van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 135 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 136 ( Nietzsche,” mit Auseinandersetzung Warburgs Aby der Antike: Nachleben Pfotenhauer, “Das 6 1 . 985 Common Knowledge 136 On the relation of Nietzsche and Warburg, see of On Helmet relation the Nietzsche ): ): 298 –

313 . branchedout about from a way theclassical heritage of thinking and its revivals on ideas desires. and fears primal taming of way a as ritual Dionysian in art of origins the of view Nietzschean a from stemming Copyright and Photo: The Figure 4 . Aby Nachleben W arburg, Nietzsche Studien Nietzsche Mnemosyne Atlas, , in the introduction to to introduction the in , W arburg Institute.

14

1929 , panel 6 5 Mnemosyne The final formulation of of Warburg’s formulation final The

,

shows that that shows Nachleben had 9/12/11 10:58:01 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 137 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 ess through which it filled. is which through ess ongoing life of past If forms. is art recollection a storehouse, or revival the in itself manifesting remembrance, as history hereart conceived Warburg art. ancient of life continuing uncanny the of awareness uneasy an realities fierce life’s from remove one at character, metaphorical of fore issue as an artistic revivals these balance of precarious a motivations and mechanisms the preserve understand to to attempt rational a tried between Warburg it, In history. of philosophy a into historiography: critical history. In order onehistory.toforget In tolive, has demolish and critical historiography: of variety need forlast a presentthe creates and the suffocate to threatens thus history new. is whatfor Antiquarian history, monumental unlike sense, no has it and life, new create not past, the of life the preserve only can it but it; after tionsunder which theheritage of thepast came into being, looking by carefully condi the preserving by life serves history Antiquarian past. the in mankind of for great achievements, and it changes life, by keeping alive the heroic endeavors Monumental inspireshistory and consoles the active man, firedthe byambition history. critical and antiquarian, Betrachtung Unzeitgemäße of process the determining cause hidden the form but rather art, to inner, understand the forpsychological, that him mechanisms certainly in Warburg’saim, Similarly, causality. their events, the in inheres that form the a as graphy,serving connections. themapparent as an unity, a in much more abstract sense humanist of the subject upthe Geschehene Geschehen.” But des “Darstellung the as historian the of task the defined Geschichtsschreibers”desofAufgabe die “Ueber In itrecords. past the and history of nature the debateon riographical teenth and nineteenth centuries, particularly in relation in particularly teenth and centuries, nineteenth 8 Press, MIT MA: Tribe (Cambridge, Keith trans. Koselleck, Reinhart see centuries, nineteenth and eighteenth the 7 views of history, see Anthony Grafton, Grafton, Anthony see of history, views Press, University Cambridge Historicism of Problem the and Semper fried Hvattum, Mari see history, architectural and art to . .

For an overview of German concepts of history in in history of concepts German of overview an For On German historiographical debates in the eigh the in debates historiographical German On Nietzsche had added new zest to this debate by contrasting, in his second second his in contrasting, debateby this to zest addednew had Nietzsche With Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time Historical of Semantics the On Past: Futures

— Mnemosyne Mnemosyne 7

what took place The events themselves are no longer the first objects of historio of objects first the longerno are themselves events The magistra vitae magistra 2004 , was not to collect individual cases ofof classical survival , Warburg added a new chapter to the German histo German the to chapter new a added Warburg , of of ), ), 162 1874

— What was History? History? was What historia rerum gestarum rerum historia –

is not the series of acts and events that had made — 9

68 All historiography All ultimately serves the living. (a text Warburg knew very well), monumental, ; the primary objects of historical interest are ofobjects historical primary ;the ; for humanist humanist for ; (Cambridge: (Cambridge: that that is, as an issue of representation and there 198 Gott­ 5 ). 1822 - , sections sections stadt: Leben das für Historie der Nachteil und Vom Nutzen Stück: Zweites 9 123 Press, University Cambridge Europe Modern Early in History of Art The , Wilhelm von Humboldt had Humboldt von Wilhelm , .

Nachleben Friedrich Nietzsche, Nietzsche, Friedrich –

41 , in Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft Wissenschaftliche . , but rather what connects 2 Werke in Bänden Drei –

4

— ( 219 Nachleben Nachleben .

aset of inner causal 8 –

37 ). is the proc the is Unzeitgemäße Betrachtungen Unzeitgemäße , ed. 2007

— Karl Karl Schlechta (Darm

), chaps. chaps. ), and and das das - - - - -

, (Cambridge: (Cambridge: 1982 1 and and 9/12/11 10:58:01 AM ), vol. vol. ), 2 , and and , 1 - , , van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 137 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 138 survivante: Histoire desurvivante: l’art et temps des Fantômes selon Aby Institute, burg Biography Intellectual An Warburg: Aby Gombrich, Hans Ernst See history. and time on thinker izes Warburg’s thought; Didi- character that irrational the to attention and aspects ical the philosoph reduces biography Gombrich’s intellectual interpretations: Warburg of spectrum the of ends site 10 .

Common Knowledge 138 Gombrich and Didi- and Gombrich 1970 also helps to put the tensions of and risks Warburg’s project into stronger relief. But reflection on Nietzsche’s opposition of monumentaland antiquarianhistory the conceptual scaffolding that would support Warburg’s practice of history. art Nietzsche’s remaining, anything of conservation of life indiscriminate the present, the against its and in arguments as a way writing history of the life of preserving the past, but also the of serving those recollections of the past that can no longer help the living. In its analysis of of classical art on British taste and aesthetic thought, for instance in the developin the for thought, instance and aesthetic on taste art British of classical roleformative the continent;on the andBaroque andillustrate art Renaissance transformation of Greek and Roman forms; display sources forin British artists the show plates and texts The Italy. and Greece to art British of debts the of history), art but rather to present to testimonies “retrospective the mind” visual of mechanisms founding as mind primitive the in art of origins the or brance rememof metaphysics the on meditation a (togetherwith Warburgin worked that laboratory visual the present to not is survey” “kaleidoscopic this of aim The past.” the of relations cultural “contemplationthe of the by aroused were time the at that hopes and desires the evoking and ground” battle a become had Mediterranean the “when war of time the pathos discreet with recalling matter- a offer authors the past, the from motifs and of forms memory, survival ofthe and art, origins psychological and nature the on meditation psychological and metaphysical a and theArt Mediterranean Didi- Georges and Settis Salvatore as such the in revived be to background, the into The metaphysical and anthropological aspect of Warburg’s thought disappeared Tragödie der Geburt in developed art of philosophy the and history monumental between gap the between antiquarian and critical history,gap a is on There the forms. one hand,classical of and, on the transformations otherthe into hand, research historical actual to ideas these connect to complex very was it But society. of origins the on Freudof (in those to close very become had ideas His society. forms could be transformed into a meditation on the origins of art and its role in to introduction His ); Georges Didi- Georges ); With the publication in in publication the With Huberman represent the oppo the represent ­Huberman ­Huberman reads as him a Huberman, ­Huberman, (London: War (London: ; and neither gap would be bridged by Nietzsche’s successors. Mnemosyne ­of- ,we encounter different atmosphere.a very of Instead L’Image L’Image fact account of the origin and aims of the exhibition, exhibition, ofthe aims and origin ofthe account ­fact - - - - 1949 shows how his study of the revival of classical Gaehtgens (Berlin: Akademie Verlag Akademie (Berlin: Gaehtgens nationalen Kongresses für Kunstgeschichte Austausch in der Antike,” Nachleben das und ­Indianer Pueblo- die Warburg, Aby Kulturwissenschaft: ichende 11 à Boas,” de Kant “Warburg, Imbert, Warburg Unzeitgemäße Betrachtung Unzeitgemäße of Saxl and Wittkower’s preface to to preface Wittkower’s and Saxl of –

4 0 ; Salvatore Settis, “Kunstgeschichte als vergle als “Kunstgeschichte Settis, Salvatore ; (Paris: Les Editions du Minuit, 1990 ­Huberman. – Artistic Exchange: Akten des XXVIII. inter XXVIII. des Akten Exchange: Artistic s by Italian and French thinkers French and thinkers Italian by s 10 provided much of TotemTaboo and L’Homme 1993 , ed. Thomas W. Thomas ed. , ), ), 2002 Künstlerischer 139

165 – ); Claude Claude );

British British 58 ( 2003 . ): ): - - ­ - ) 9/12/11 10:58:01 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 139 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 in the very productive transformation of the Warburg from a laboratory or even Warburgofa laboratory the from transformation productive very the in automatically not do art of lead to possibility art- the of conditions general the on reflections metaphysical contrary, the On ambition. intellectual of loss a of symptom the Antike der the to lead that processes, artistic and psychological the reasons, the understanding preoccupation: main Warburg’s became what about said is all, neo- or Picturesque the mentof (Aldershot, U.K.: Ashgate, Ashgate, U.K.: (Aldershot, in Century,” Nineteenth Writers of the Architectural the Pevsner and “Nikolaus Buchanan, Alexandrina instance, for see, tory, his impact of Nikolaus Pevsner on architectural British of Lectures Slade Oxford the on based An Interpretation the Regency: Goodhart- Stuart Harry Taste of History the in Study A ray, 11 histories, building and oeuvres, or ruin? restoration, execution, through careers, design from iconography, styles, of evidence, mentary itself sciencesdescription, on basedhistorical on the andfavor docu factual the human the of mind expression an as significance its and value aesthetic its for art study from in Germany as an academic discipline tory his art of rise the informed had that question a also but sources, of evaluation Goodhart- John Ruskin, Geoffrey Scott, and Sir John Betjeman, or by architects like Harry which their haduntil arrival been dominated by connoisseurs and critics such as architectural- British the into methods research German duced form. Wittkower, Nikolaus Pevsner,like intro of architectural analysis graphical icono the instead, but, art classical of transformations the longer no is focus main Its program. research a into considerations Warburg’s Aby philosophical of transformation this of variety another shows history, architectural in study Humanism Age of the in Principles Wittkower’s WarburgInstitute, the of majorpublication next The An Indirect Iconographical Approach to the Revival of Antiquity instru chief book. the whose became and ment increasingly culture, and art classical of transformations the charting juxtaposing images on the famous felt boards a Denkraum .

John Ruskin, Ruskin, John 1851 — ); Geoffrey Scott, Scott, Geoffrey ); aesthetics of branch a be is, that

— Reassessing Nikolaus Pevsner Nikolaus Reassessing historical research programs. The exhibition can also be also can The seen exhibition as programs. a research step ­historical ­Rendell.

— which is not to say that and Saxl Wittkower’s exhibition was merely The Stones of Venice The Stones

where ideas on the revival of antique forms were formulated by by formulated were forms antique of revival the on ideas where 11 Rendel, ­Rendel, Theintroduced Germans systematic archival research and 2004 The Architecture of Humanism: of Humanism: The Architecture (London: Constable, Constable, (London: (London: Constable, Constable, (London: ), ), English Architecture since since Architecture English 95 (London: John Mur John (London: –

109 , ed. Peter Draper Draper Peter ed. , . Palladianism. But very little, if not nothing at nothing not if little, very But ­Palladianism. 1 ( 934 1949 . For the the For . ), arguably the most influential postwar postwar influential most the arguably ), 1914 1953 — ); ); ), ),

- - or should art history should model should history art should or —

into a research library, devoted to chap. chap. Press, CT: Haven, Yale (New University Podro, Michael see history, general and aesthetics to relation its and history art about 1980 History of Architectural Rise Watkin, David see Library, Warburg the of London 12 1800 .

On British architectural history until the arrival in in arrival the until history architectural British On ), ), 12 1 onward: should art history 94 . –

160 . On German nineteenth- German On . history scene, scene, ­history Architectural Architectural (London: Architectural Press, Press, Architectural (London: Nachleben The Critical Historians of Art of Historians Critical The - - - - - 19 century debates debates ­century 82 ), intro. and and intro. ), 9/12/11 10:58:01 AM The The

van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 139 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 140 Giedion, Le Corbusier, and others are published. are others and Corbusier, Le Giedion, Ackerman, Wittkower, by contributions original the Proporzione. Triennale 1951 the the to preface the 14 old age.” its in paralysed revival, 4 Ruskin’s quotes Wittkower 13 , sec. sec. , . . Common Knowledge 140

1951 On the opening page of the the of page opening the On On the reception of the the of reception the On 35 Triennale, see Anna Chiara Cimoli, Cimoli, Chiara Anna see Triennale, : “Pagan in its origin, proud and unholy in its its in unholy and proud origin, its in “Pagan : cal and metaphysical ideas, and with a hitherto unprecedented scale and wealth wealth and scale unprecedented hitherto a with and ideas, metaphysical and cal centrally- ofthe motif formal the linking innovation. contructional or formal for incapacity its by distinguished style, pagan and academic, nistic, hedo a as art Renaissance of condemnation Ruskin’s from derived ultimately English view of Renaissance architecture, which was based on visual analysis and measurement of the buildings themselves. buildings the of measurement Brunelleschi’s use of proportion are untenable and not based on actual, firsthand apprehension; and Matthew Cohen has shown that most of Wittkower’s ideas on mode of dominant architectural the as onmathematics views of his uniqueness and universality the questioned has Smith Christine Palladio; and Alberti of PayneAlina has unearthed the modernist aesthetic bias in Wittkower’s appraisal the in pomorphy anthro and proportion toward architects modernist of turn the on influence up by architects and critics such as Le Corbusier and Colin Rowe, and had a huge outside the scholarly of community Renaissance the book specialists, was taken in on noticed, Hardly its appearance design. contemporary influenced that Principles time, same the At Renaissance. the in thought aboutarchitectural history. Itknowledge in advance also represents a significant in architectural ning design, itsand significance,the ideas behind the it, book signaled a new begin architectural between forges it connections the of Because detail. scholarly of and elements of temples such as porticoes, with their strong associations with with associations strong their with porticoes, as such temples ofelements and orders architectural the churches particular of in forms, pagan Christian usein how defend to is, the that viewers; and architects troubledRenaissance already to answer by question raised of a the revival the fundamental antique, one that had provides an Warburg’s from themes actually of antique art, ofrevival the study thought. and design architectural intoRenaissance access concentrated focused itand very a because offers alike, historians architectural and architects for appeal great a exercise to continues 1988 Wittkower’s Wittkower’s Wittkower’s book, although superficially very different in ambition and ambition in different very superficially although book, Wittkower’s edition; on Wittkower’s role in in role Wittkower’s on edition; (Milan: Electa, Electa, (Milan: comes at end the of a long thought traditionof on books architectural Stones ofVenice Stones Architectural Principles Architectural Architectural Principles Architectural 1950 Architectural Principles Architectural 2007 , vol. vol. , s and and s ), in which ), in which La Divina 13 3 , chap. chap. , Wittkower’s is an essay in iconography,architectural , 1960

see see , s (the Modulor is the best- (March (March ence,” Flor in Lorenzo San of Basilica the in System portional Pro A Medieval Late Brunelleschi?: “How Much Cohen, Press, University York: Oxford (New 1400 Eloquence, and Aesthetics, Ethics, Humanism: Smith, Christine Historians ofArchitectural of Age Modernism,” the in Principles 15 .

Alina A. Payne, “Rudolf Wittkower and Architectural Architectural and Wittkower “Rudolf Payne, A. Alina Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Architectural of the Society Journal was a clear break from the traditional traditional the from break clear a was 2008 planned church to worlds to oftheologi church ­planned 15 Nonetheless, Nonetheless, ): ): 1 8 –

57 Architecture in the Culture of Early Early of Culture the in Architecture .

53 . 3 Architectural Principles Architectural (September (September ­known example). Journal of the Society Society the of Journal 1992 Architectural Architectural 1994 ); Matthew A. A. Matthew ); ): ): 322 1949 – 1470 –

67

42 14 . 1 ------, ;

9/12/11 10:58:02 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 141 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 large categories (image, word, orientation, and action) force one to rethink the the action)forceword,one rethink and toorientation, (image, categories large open shelves the four ordering knows, itsholdingsin Library ever the has used a in morealso way fundamental vital was Library buttomes;the Renaissance loaded with night, lateevery tute Insti the leave to used Wittkower how recalls Gombrich H. E. Library. burg revival. motif’s led to the that processes intellectual shows the also temple of to Bramante’sHercules Tempietto Romein (Figures the from for instance church, Renaissance temple circular intothe circular the symbolism. He traces Christian the transformation of a classical motif forms but endowed them, through their use of the centrally- architects and theorists, from Alberti via Francesco Zorzi to Palladio, used pagan a return to antique paganism. them, Against Wittkower argues that Renaissance who and Scott, believed useof very Ruskin the wasthat forms classical proof of addresses its implications indirectly by condemning the views of his predecessors religion and pagan question explicitly, society. butnever this Wittkower raises he research.By its Warburgorganization, the very one inspires also Library to ask usual chronological, stylistic, iconographical, or genre categories of art- Architectural Principles Architectural could never have been written without the War

—

becauseof everyoneits organization. As who ­planned church, with second century BC. of Salamis, mid to late attributed to Hermodoros of Hercules Victor, identification Temple Forum Boarium, probable by the Tiber near the Figure 5. Rome, Tholos 5 and and 6 )

­historical —

—

that of

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van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 141 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 142

Common Knowledge 142 resources. Leiden University Digital c. 1502. Photo copyright Pietro in Bramante, Tempietto, San Figure 6. Donato to its design, building, use, and demolition. The roles that a building can play in play in can a building roles The that demolition. and use, building, design, to its has to solve a design problem, or the biography of a building from its commission thought concern whose is primary not the decision of the architect making who design issues and instead includes history andarchitectural theory in a system of architects. all were history architectural in chairs university incumbents of first andthe andfor architects; démie Royale d’Architecture in Paris and the Accademia di San Luca in Rome by Aca atthe form institutional an in taught itwas century, seventeenth the from as Alberti, Serlio, or Palladio began to reconstruct the ofruins Roman buildings; such when Renaissance, architects the in born was history Architectural issues. design of perspective the from art their of history the write who written designers, by been has degree considerable a to history architectural day, present the to continuing and Vitruvius with Starting architects. by mainly practiced is history Architectural discipline. the of structure conceptual traditional the new questions thein that, history,case of architectural diverge completely from But by its conceptual organization the Warburg Library moves away from M ontorio, Rome, - 9/12/11 10:58:03 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 143 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 of one’s in inquiry the terms that Warburg and his successors set out: ofto think research in the Warburg Library, therefore, always means to reshape the subject ric or music, astronomy or the revival of ancient mythology. To do architectural Library, as an agentproduced also that rheto ofin society, part the same culture the of organization the by suggested sense, wider a in also and remembrance, their of embodiment stone the as and forms classical of revival the of festation stage center take society 57 Semper’s Gottfried of Legacy The no. Ornament: “World Papapetros, Spyros Archive Institute Warburg script, Kunstpsychologie stischen 17 5 Press, MIT MA: Tavernor(Cambridge, Books 16 example,a sculptor’s through choice to a materialuse widely different the from for happens, transformation This art. of works into transformed are artefacts tion is the realm in which artistic freedom manifests itself and in which utilitarian ticher to Schopenhauer and Semper. nineteenth- nichts.”) a mir thust with He series conviction of shared this late- und lebst “Du was notes these for chose he motto (The images. of aspects ing threaten the from distance a for itallows since freedom artistic of locus the is expression,predicated representation that conviction on the of artistic atheory Ornament.” of Semper’s ofGottfried reading abouthis made in the manuscript “Grundlegende Bruchstücke zur Psychologie der Kunst” Warburg- the of design the with involvement his by shown is as it, in interested was but architecture on little wrote Warburg history. architectural for thought burg’s ofWar potential the exhausted means no by students his and Wittkower Still, Toward a Warburgian History of Architecture embodies. Library the that monumental history as history of architectural view humanist monumentsprofoundly to keep Itmemory collective alive. of the is this society aedificatoria put it prologue in the of Alberti As buthistory, as agentan culture. shaping termsof not in art its creation, primarily material properties, dating, or stylistic – . / .

6 58

Aby Warburg, Warburg, Aby . Leon Battista Alberti, Alberti, Battista Leon ( , trans. Joseph Rykwert, Neil Leach, and Robert Robert and Leach, Neil Rykwert, Joseph trans. , 2010 ): ): 16 309 Haus in Hamburg, but also by the notes (of October (ofOctober notes the by also but Hamburg, in ­Haus , century architectural theorists, from Quatremère de Quincy via Böt from Quatremère de Quincy theorists, architectural ­century architecture is not only the setting for civic life, it also provides stone –

Grundlegende Bruchstücke zu moni einer Bruchstücke Grundlegende 29 17 They form part of Warburg’s efforts in these years to developto years of Warburg’sthese in part form They efforts . 1 856 ( 1888 Lecture on Adornment,” Adornment,” on Lecture On the Art of Building in Ten in Building of Art the On –

1995 — both in a restricted Warburgian sense, as the mani the as sense, Warburgian restricted a in both ), unpublished manu unpublished ), 33 , August , August 1988 18 ), prologue, prologue, ), They all believed that aesthetic representa aesthetic that believed all They 27 , , 1990 1856 Res - ­ ;

lecture on “Formal the lecture Principles dition in German architectural aesthetics. architectural German in dition ( in Semper’s Animism 18 200 .

See Caroline van Eck, “Figuration, Tectonics, and and Tectonics, “Figuration, Eck, van Caroline See 9 ): ): 325 –

39 , for a more detailed discussion of this tra this of discussion detailed more a for , ­ ­eighteenth- Der Stil Der 1890 ,” ) that he that ) Journal of Architecture of Journal De re and ------9/12/11 10:58:03 AM

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van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 143 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 144 Hellenen 19

. Common Knowledge 144

Karl Gottlieb Wilhelm Bötticher, Bötticher, Wilhelm Gottlieb Karl (Berlin: Ernst and Korn, Korn, and Ernst (Berlin: starr, verräth sich Gedanke und Begriff nur durch characktervolle Zeichen.” characktervolle durch nur Begriff und Gedanke sich verräth starr, W. G. und “lautlos words ofK. the Bötticher: In work ofarchitecture. living a tectonic forces at work in a building and thereby stoneinanimate transform into orders) that play this role. They have architecture, no role In structural but, instead, touch. represent the to the classical the from derived forms decorative warm the (and ornament itparticularly is body, living a like feel, would ivory soft when todepictedbe being of classical forms in building. The work of Wittkower, Saxl, and Krautheimer, Krautheimer, and workSaxl, The ofWittkower, building. in forms ofclassical development of architectural iconography and to the study of the transformation freedom. artistic for locus the a as forms such of use the leadto that processes mental the into insight offer would but and instead useless, beautiful tothe ornament reducing beauty,and dichotomy thus ofof sidestepsornament traditional utility that the ordersseems to ask such for in terms.Doing analysis so would allow for a study the of repertoire formal expressive ornamental, the though even architecture, of domain the in test or application systematic a received yet not have forms classical of survival the about ideas Warburgian discipline. the dominate now aid history architectural to sidestep the focus on practical design issues that even can Library his using and Warburg reading memory; cultural of embodiment about outasexpression the offerof architecture andways them ofstill thinking world. the over all society, about images,thinking in the broadest sense of the word, and about their role in of way new a construct to effort his of parts integral are Both arts. visual the on work his as pointtoo same direction briefthe all in on his remarks architecture but interest, this pursued he way the in notconsistent was He psychology. and aboutus role the representation of artistic development the in of society human tell can they what butin solutions design as potential their in notinterested was fifteen- even cise exer architecture classical of forms the that appeal the understand to ambition matter. dead animate building outer the shellof that a arguing evenfurther, of reasoning line perpushed this are the visual language of tectonic forms: they make forms a building Art dead. speak. seem would building the and perceptible, be not would building a in other each workupon forces static which in way the forms, such Without Warburg’s London legacy, as I have indicated here, contributed to the the to contributed here, indicated have I as legacy, London Warburg’s For historian, Warburg’sthe architectural ideas and the Library that grew an Quincy de Quatremère Semper,and Bötticher, with shared Warburg

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its dress its 1844 hundred years after the end of the Roman empire. Warburg empire. Roman the of end the after years ­hundred –

5 Die Tektonik der der Tektonik Die 2

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), xv. ), —

fictionalizes it, dematerializes it, and by this means can can means this by and it, dematerializes it, fictionalizes

using cold, hard marble for a portrait bust, for instance, for cold, instance, bust, marbleusing hard for aportrait Korn, Korn, 20 .

Bötticher, Bötticher, 1874 ), ), 24 Die Tektonik der Hellenen der Tektonik Die . Denkraum (Berlin: Ernst and and Ernst (Berlin: 20 Sem

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as as 19 - -

9/12/11 10:58:03 AM 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 CK181_11vanEck_1pp_sh.indd 145 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 with her forthcoming work on the topics of topics workthe on herforthcoming with and transformation of by Renaissance Vitruvius architects and theorists, along uct of Warburgian architectural iconography. Alina Payne’s work on the adoption is a new century, prod to end the of sixteenth the orders antiquity from classical Bearers of Meaning while connecting it to the societies that produced these buildings. John Onians’s amongothers, ofopened form classical transformation the up ways of pursuing it energizes the thinking of one new generation after another. after generation of one new thinking the it energizes it is at the same time so supple, inspiring, and interactive a institution that living but ideas, creator’s its of stone in embodiment the be may Library Warburg The works. actually memory cultural of formation howthe detail, show, concrete in of issues the raises Library the Library has an important role to play: given the uniquely tangible ways in which role of memory and its embodiment and Here architecture. art, texts, in too the society has created a new wave of interest, across the the humanities, in cultural in role ofmemory workthe on Assmann’s Recently, Jan designs. their and tects renewal that are often hidden from archi sight on by individual focusing histories and slow of the transformation uncovers processes that history ofarchitectural variety a ledto have Warburg Library) the in renewal (and their form classical in the nineteenth century, showlikewise how Warburg’s ideas of on the survival of of 1988 , tracing the transformations of the meanings of the ofthe meanings ofthe transformations the tracing , Nachleben and and Lebendige Architektur Mnemosyne , it is uniquely able to uniquely is it, and ornament - - 9/12/11 10:58:03 AM

van Eck • The Warburg Institute and Architectural History 145