Aby Warburg and the Political Iconography of Fascism: An Analysis of Symbols of Power

This paper explores the crucial role of political iconography in conveying power and ideology. It highlights the importance of contextualising images within the public space, examining Aby Warburg’s perspective on political imagery, with a focus on Fascist political iconography. Warburg’s interest lies in how Italian Fascism revived ancient Rome and reinterpreted symbols of power. He underscores the fundamental role of ancient pathos in the emergence of twentieth century totalitarianism. This paper seeks to consolidate and shed light on Warburg’s reflections concerning Italian fascism, offering a fresh perspective on political iconography.