Optics, aesthetics, epistemology : the history of photography reconsidered

211 Pages·2006·14.98 MB·English

by  Wollheim, Peter

OPTICS, AESTHETICS, EPISTEMOLOGY:
THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY RECONSIDERED
Peter Wollheim
B.A., University of Rochester, 1970
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS (COWNICATION STUDIES)
in the Department
of
Communication Studies
@
Peter Wollheim 1977
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
November 1977
All rights reserved. This thesis may not be
reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy
or other means, without permission of the author.
Approval
Name: Peter Wollheirn
Degree: Master of Arts (Communication Studies)
Title of Thesis: "Optics, Aesthetics, Epistemology: The History of
Photography Reconsidered."
Examining Committee:
Chairperson: Thomas J. Mallinson
J. C. Haqpr -
Supervisor
J. Zaslove
E. Gibson
EMrnal Examiner
Associate Professor
Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University
November 29th.1977.
Date Approved :
PARTIAL COPYRTCHT LICENSE
I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right t o lend
my thesis or dissertation (the title of which is shown below) to usere
of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to marte parclai or singie
copies only for. such users or in response t o a request from the library
of any other university, or other educational institution, on its 'own
behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for
multiple copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted
by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying
or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed
without my writt en permission.
Title of Thesis/~issertation:
"OPTICS AESTHETICS, EPISTEMOLOGY: THE HISTORY OF PHOTOGRAPHY
RFXONS IDERED"
Author :
(signature)
PETER WOLLHFIM
(name)
NQV: 23rd. 1977
(date)
-
This thesis dfals with the status of "truthi' spis+;mological,
-
assthhetic, and psycholcgical % r. g n ~ t o y r a ~ h ri~cp r~:s~+r:?arltior..
Using aaterials from t h e sociology of a r t arid c1~mparativ2
epistemof ogy, the photograph is contrast+d wLzh t h m~ed i.;val Icon,
and its e v o l u t i o n exatnined ir, ternms of v a r i o u s "truthsf* 3bout
natur3 and optics as def icad by scicrAtifici nquiry. Th+ t h l s l s
concfuiles by exa~ininga nxieties t h a t photography a r o u s e s i n modern
culturz, an:? demor.strates that they a r pdrt caf 'idrgor anthivaiences
which can be investigated a s t h e f3tishlziny of appearancss ix
c a p i t a l i s t i c society.
iii
As the mirror said, "It's all done uith people."
---
Tom Bobbirds
Thanks 3lso go tc Gary gilcox, the intrepid airo or of
-P-h-o-t-s qypgh~rm agazine, fo: allowing me to try out a variety of
ids-as i n p r i n t b e f o ~ ec ornmitticy + h + ~t o th~3ssp ayes; t o
i;ir.3.Pf:>isvrj, ui t h e Cuudciidzi F o k k C ~ n ~ p i l ify3 r p~ovidlngv ?iuabi'-3
information on studio portraiture; to Rev. aensua J o n e s for
EiblFcal refermces; ind to dss, Pam Parford, Linda Clark, and
Suzie Sz+rkes fcr clerical assist2nct.
I would a l s o l i k ~to express my gratitude t o tns Canada Council
fcr thij Arts and sirncn Fra ser UniverskC.y's P~3siLif?n+,*Osf fice,
S ~ n a t e ,a nd Dcan of Graduate Studies for financial support of my
research. P?rsonal thanks also gs to Louis Dayuerr3, for s t a r t i n g
it all; to U.D. ~ i . 1 2fo~r h i s madndss; and James Lsr;ikin, for
the loan of his Exakta, Mcre thatks ars ?xt-?eded to ths
Cralley;, anu vanccuvor Schccl of Art, for listeriing; to my
parents; tc Eir,da Kowa'iski, for sharin5~t he yrowth of my vision
Petting me s i p t5c mornixy's t ~ a23 silent.?-. While I accept final
Table of Contents
i i
Approval
i i i
'AI"L U- t I.- *r Un"t C
iv
Quotat ion
v
Acknowledgements
viii
Foreward
Introduction: Photography: the Search for an Aesthetic
I. The Photograph and the Icon
11. The Eye as Machinery
111. The Aesthetics of the Rational
IV. Image and Essence
Footnotes
Bibliography
vii
T h i s thesis is part of a losger wosk-ic-progress on
pha+ograpftic criticisoa, the miri purpose of which is 'to Liberate
photagrap+.y from t h s confines cif its current ideological
frameworks. The geceral aettod of t h a t work is set forth i n this
thesis, and w i l l be follovea up by accou~tsc f how individual
photographic artists have fought against the cofiventicnal concepts
of t h e photograph a s representation, and how the form and style
of t h e i r works reflect t h i s struggle. The reader is therefore
invited to c o n s u l t o t h e r reviews and articles t h a t 1 have writteri
on t h i s topic.
1
viii