The Knowledge of Art. Aesthetics and Semantics of Figural Imagery in the Renaissance

The project investigates a specific kind of knowledge, one that is connected to the concrete manifestation of a particular work of art and its aesthetic properties, and which testifies to a complex interaction between theoretical reflection and artistic practice. The aim is to render tangible forms of knowledge – such as implicit or elusive modes of knowledge – that cannot be adequately described through the dichotomy of propositional vs. non-propositional knowledge. Drawing on current modes of figural interpretation and their focus on the ‘artwork as figura’ (Auerbach), the project places particular emphasis on the aesthetics and semantics of figural imagery.

A list of publications and events organized by the project can be accessed on the German CRC 980 website.