About the Erwin Panofsky papers

Although primarily a scholar of Gothic and Renaissance art, Panofsky had wide interests. Erwin Panofsky was a highly respected and influential scholar who was a much loved, generous, and encouraging teacher of several generations of productive scholars. Many students became his life long friends, and quite a few of them considered Panofsky the greatest teacher they had ever encountered.

He taught at the University of Hamburg from 1920 to1933, and during this period began to develop iconographic approaches to interpreting art through analysis of its subject matter's symbols, themes, and history. His work in this area eventually had international influence in the development of art history as a discipline.

Beginning in 1931, Panofsky taught at New York University, spending alternate semesters at the University of Hamburg until the Nazis dismissed all Jewish officials. He and his wife fled Germany and came to the United States in 1933. During the academic year 1934/35, Panofsky held concurrent appointments at both New York University and Princeton University. He joined the faculty of the newly formed Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, in 1935, where he remained for the rest of his life. In addition, he continued to teach at New York University practically every year, and frequently served as a visiting professor at Princeton University.

He was a prolific writer, and his many books and articles represent some of the 20th century's most important writings in the field of art history, particularly in the realm of iconography. Among his books are: "Idea": Ein Beitrag zur Begriffsgeschichte der älteren Kunstheorie (1924) [translated later as Idea, The History of a Concept], Studies in Iconology (1939), Codex Huygens and Leonardo da Vinci's Art Theory (1940), The Life and Art of Albrecht Dürer (1943), Abbot Suger on the Abbey Church of St. Denis and Its Art Treasures (1946), Gothic Architecture and Scholasticism (1951), Early Netherlandish Painting: Its Origins and Character (1953), Meaning and the Visual Arts (1950), Renaissance and Renaissances in Western Art (1960), The Iconography of Correggio's Camera di San Paolo (1961), and Problems in Titian, Mostly Iconographic (1964).

Panofsky wrote on subjects other than art history. He was an authority on Mozart, and also wrote about the history of the detective novel and cinema. His 1934 article "On Movies" (originally published in Princeton University's Bulletin of the Department of Art and Archaeology), remains a highly regarded work on the subject.

The recipient of numerous honorary degrees, Panofsky most prized the first from the University of Utrecht, 1936, as it brought great satisfaction at a time when he was still coping with the trauma of expatriation. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the British Academy, and several other foreigh academies. In 1962, Panofsky received the Haskins Medal awarded by The Medieval Academy of America for a distinguished book in medieval history.

His wife Pandora Mosse Panofsky died in 1965; in 1966, he married Gerda Soergel, also an art historian. Erwin Panofsky died in Princeton, New Jersey, March 14, 1968. HIDE

The Panofsky papers are comprised mainly of correspondence with colleagues, scholars, students, art dealers, galleries and museums, libraries, colleges and universities, organizations, and periodicals. Among the correspondents are colleagues, scholars, students, art dealers, galleries and museums, libraries, colleges and universities, organizations, and periodicals. Correspondents include: Udo von Alvensleben, Walter William Spencer Cook, Paul Coremans, Walter Friedländer, William S. Keckscher, Ludwig H. Heydenreich, H. W. Janson, Adolf Katzenellenbogen, Richard Krauatheimer, Edward E. Lowinsky, Millard Meiss, Gert van Osten, Richard Salomon, Craig Smyth, W.Stechos, Boot and Betty Tarkington, Egon Verhaegen, and Wilhelm Vöge.

Writings by Panofsky include drafts, notes, and manuscripts of articles, book reviews, books, and lectures. Biographical material consists of awards and certificates, diplomas (including many honorary degrees), and membership certificates. Among the printed material are articles and clippings about or mentioning Panofsky, programs for graduation ceremonies at which Panofsky was awarded honorary degrees, reviews of Panofsky's books, obituaries, and memorial programs and tributes. HIDE

His most prolific correspondents include: Udo von Alvensleben, Walter William Spencer Cook, Paul Coremans, Walter Friedländer, William S. Keckscher, Ludwig H. Heydenreich, H. W. Janson, Adolf Katzenellenbogen, Richard Krauatheimer, Edward E. Lowinsky, Millard Meiss, Gert van Osten, Richard Salomon, Craig Smyth, W.Stechos, Boot and Betty Tarkington, Egon Verhaegen, and Wilhelm Vöge.

1.8: Miscellaneous, arranged by subject, includes: requests for reviews, contributions to encyclopedias and dictionaries, and requests to write books; acknowledgements and thank you letters, 70th birthday congratulations; U.S. government, embassies and consulates. 1.9: Unfilmed Correspondence, received many years after microfilming was completed, is arranged chronologically and overlaps the dates and categories of correspondents represented in the preceeding subseries. HIDE