| Heinrich W(?)lfflin was the distinguish figure in the study of western art history,one of his contribution for art history is the notable Formal Analysis,which apply the formalist theory of esthetic on this discipline.By fully researching on the artworks of southern Latin peoples and northern Germanic peoples generated in the period of Renaissance and Baroque,W(?)lfflin had constructed the method of formal analysis in his book the principles of art history,featured with the deeply psychological and dialectic characters,the formal analysis ensures the ubiquitously valid mode for analyzing the formal factors of images with an abstract and accurate approach for the studies of art history,accordingly,he concluded that forms of artworks developed independently irrelated with material and social elements.This assay mainly about his methodology is divided into four parts,firstly,it specifically states the historical and esthetic background of emergence of this mode,like the legacy of German Classical Aesthetic,as well as the contemporary theory about Art Science,in the second part,it will primarily discuss on his innovative conception and outstanding characters of his theory from his books like Classic Art,Renaissance and Baroque,and Italy and German Sense of Form.The third part will analyze the five aspects of his formal analysis via the specific plastic artworks like paintings,sculptures and architectures:Linear versus painterly,Plane versus Recession,Closed versus Open,Multiplicity versus Unity and Absolute versus Relative Clarity,by taking advantage of eminent masterpieces as instance,beside,it will make a comparison of art theory with other formalist art historians for the reason that places W(?)lfflin in a more coherent and broader position in the course of art history.Finally,it will discuss the theoretical value of W(?)lfflin for the modernist art reaction by displaying the feedback of W(?)lfflin’s theory from modern art critics like Roger Fry and Wilhelm Worringer,therefore elucidating the significance of formal analysis under the modernist era.All in all,by analyzing and researching on the theory of W(?)lfflin,this thesis is aiming at exploring the validity and merit of formalist theory that applied to art historical study on the latest development of art history,comprehensively stating the superior contribution of W(?)lfflin’s theory,summarizing the characters of it,so that ensuring the indispensable position of Heinrich W(?)lfflin on the course of art history. |
