Felix Horb: Notes in the margins of Max Dvořák, Hans Sedlmayr and Erwin Panofsky

Abstract

With his publications on architectural representations in Late Medieval painting, Felix Horb (1890–1958) positioned himself in relation to his teacher Max Dvořák, his close colleague Hans Sedlmayr and the studies of Erwin Panofsky. Founding his work on a historic-genetic methodology, Horb demonstrated its relevance for understanding important aspects of Giotto’s art and the rise of Renaissance perspective. In close contact with many renowned art historians of the earlier twentieth century, Horb’s work is important not only in itself but also for its critical stand in relation to these scholars. Refuting both the history of style and iconology, Horb took a constructivist approach to art history that was founded in the New Vienna School, and was at the same time highly original.

Keywords

• felix horb
• hans sedlmayr
• erwin panofsky
• pietro cavallini
• giotto
• historic-genetic method
• central perspective