Eyewitnessing : the uses of images as historical evidence

"What place do images hold among other kinds of historical evidence? In Eyewitnessing, Peter Burke reviews graphics, photographs, films and other media from many countries and periods and examines their pragmatic uses. This profusely illustrated book surveys the opportunities and the challenges of using images to understand other times." "In a thorough and compelling defence of the importance of the visual to history, Burke argues that images should not be considered mere reflections of their time and place, but rather extensions of the social contexts in which they were produced. The author describes and evaluates the methods by which art historians have traditionally analyzed images and finds them insufficient to deal with the complexities of visual imagery." "In developing a richer mode of visual interpretation, Burke devotes much attention to religious icons and narratives as well as to propaganda posters, caricatures and maps. Eyewitnessing, also addresses the economics of images - some, such as films, are commodities in themselves, while others are created to advertise other products. Concentrating on the representation of social groups, the author explores stereotypes as well as notions of foreignness and gender. In this wide-ranging, highly accessible volume, Burke helps us to understand the promise and the pitfalls of using visual evidence in the writing of history."--BOOK JACKET.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

Photographs and portraits --
Iconography and iconology --
The sacred and the supernatural --
Power and protest --
Material culture through images --
Views of society --
Stereotypes of others --
Visual narratives --
From witness to historian --
Beyond iconography? --
The cultural history of images.