‘Verbalising Sensory Experiences in Philostratus’ Imagines’
Tuesday 9 May, 3.30-5pm
Room 0.02 St Katharine’s Lodge, The Scores
Abstract
In his Imagines, Philostratus describes paintings to two audiences with different levels of access to them: an internal audience examining the paintings alongside the narrator and an external audience (the reader) whose ability to experience the picture depends entirely on the narrator’s words. As Philostratus talks his audience through his approach to art history and art criticism, he also draws them into the world of the picture, its smells, its sounds, and its texture. This paper explores the ways in which Philostratus uses language to evoke sensory experiences beyond the visual in his audience. It discusses the extent to which the paintings’ sensory effects can be considered their own or must be interpreted as the product of Philostratus’ verbalising the painting.
