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Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The weight of pictorial space

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis examines the current theories and research of picture perception in relation to the development of a photographic aesthetic. It attempts to show that certain properties of the photographic image determine the way that it is perceived, and in turn that those properties have influenced the way that photography has been used as an expressive medium. The properties examined are those which allow for the depiction of space, namely those of linear perspective, their influence being the measure of perceptual weight that pictorial space has exerted on photographic picturemakers. Research results are used to propose a new understanding of abstraction/representation in photography. Correlations are drawn between historical trends in photographic art and present-day perception theory.

Degree

thesis:*
Department dc:contributor.department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.
Grantor dc:publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Year dc:date.issued
1983

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Crane, Terrence
Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
  • Michael Bishop.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Language dc:language.iso
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/72720
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/72720

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
MIT
Base URL
dspace.mit.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Crane, Terrence. The weight of pictorial space. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1983. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/72720