From Image to Structure: A Dialogue with Philippe Descola

This interview with Philippe Descola, conducted on two occasions separated by the Covid pandemic, delves into his evolving theoretical framework concerning the anthropology of images. Descola reflects on his transition from written discourse in Beyond Nature and Culture to visual representation in Les Formes du visible . The discussion explores the intersection of structuralism, phenomenology, and iconology, highlighting Descola’s engagement with Aby Warburg’s theories and the works of Hans Belting and Horst Bredekamp. Reference is made to Descola’s four ontologies – animism, totemism, analogism, and naturalism – and their corresponding modes of identification and figuration. Through these lenses, Descola elucidates how different cultures conceptualize and depict their worlds, emphasizing the intentional autonomy of images and their role as efficacious agents.