THE ANALYSIS OF KURT SCHWITTERS' "THE HITLER GANG" BASED ON ICONOGRAPHIC AND ICONOLOGICAL CRITICISM METHOD OF ERWIN PANOFSKY

In this study, the collage "The Hitler Gang" dated 1944 by Kurt Schwitters who is one of the Dadaism artists has been analyzed based on "iconographic and iconological criticism method" which was developed by an art historian, Erwin Panofsky, in 20th century. The said work has been examined under three stages which are natural subject matter (factual and expressive meaning), conventional subject matter (secondary meaning) and intrinsic subject matter (content) according to this method of Panofsky; it has been aimed to make the work more understandable by the viewer with this method. The positions and expressions of the visuals within the composition have been examined to find the natural subject matter; the relationships of the visuals with one another have been examined by addressing the points at which the work points to find the conventional subject matter and various resources have been employed to reveal this relationship; the life of the artist and the conditions of the period have been examined to find the intrinsic subject matter. Panofsky states that intrinsic subject matter provides the real meaning of the work. It can also be stated that the technique of the work is effective for expressing the period in which it was made. The collage technique employed by Schwitters corresponds to the destruction of the war. The collage "The Hitler Gang" emphasizes the dictator Adolf Hitler and his gang as can be understood from its name. In this regard, the study focuses on how policies applied by Hitler during First and Second World Wars changed the art and artistic perception through the work of Schwitters. Keywords: Erwin Panofsky, Art Criticism, Iconography, Iconology, Kurt Schwitters, The Hitler Gang