Abstract

This article investigates the epistemological common ground between positivism and "Bildwissenschaft" through the analysis of the legacy of Tito Vignoli and Paolo Mantegazza's thought in Aby Warburg's theory. My aim is to show how the 20th century interpretation of positivism has shaped our reading and understanding of it, often reducing the forward-thinking of the authors of this period. It will point out how positivism has taken into account arguments and methods inherited by contemporary Visual Studies and Cultural Studies.