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A semiotic analysis of selected pre-Raphaelite paintings

Thesis (MTech. degree in Fine Art) -- Tshwane University of technology, 2011. / This dissertation investigates associated themes of the Pre-Raphaelite artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) and William Holman Hunt (1827-1910), in context of their idealized and spiritual portrayal of the human figure. Semiotics is used to analyze the artwork of these artists in order to attain a deeper understanding of these artworks, and to investigate potential meanings that certain signs might signify. The possible symbolism of these signs are sourced from the key symbolist theorist, Juan Eduardo Cirlot (1916-1973), from his systematic study of symbolic signs. The research identifies semiotics validity as a system for interpreting signs, and seeks to show that there are deep and complex meanings, even in a painting. Semiotics is also philosophical: it suggests that reality does not exist outside of individual interpretation, but that reality is a system of signs.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1000422
Date January 2011
CreatorsVan Staden, Pieter Schalk
ContributorsStevens, Ingrid Elise.
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
FormatPDF
Rights© 2011 Tshwane University of Technology

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