Una svolta drammatica. Somiglianza ed empatia tra Medioevo e contemporaneità

Abstract

This paper seeks to frame the importance of ‘imaginative culture’ during
the Middle ages. In the first part, I provide an overview of the most
recent works on the medieval vision theories, underling the increasing
interest of medieval scholars in visual culture and cognitive theory. In the
second part, starting with the theory of image formulated by theology
and exegesis between the 3th and the 11th century, I illustrate the key
elements of the visual culture of the Middle Ages and I argue that it is
founded on a real ‘dramatic turn’, whose peculiar features are the close
connection between vision and action, the performative inclusion and,
finally, the empathetic knowledge.