回归史料本身——图像证史问题的档案学思考路径及其反思

Returning to Historical Materials:A Reflection on the Use of Images as Historical Evidence in the Perspective of Archival Science

图像证史问题既是传统艺术史领域的重要议题,也是图像研究进入历史学领域的重要前提。图像虽已作为新的史料依据和证据来源进入历史学实践,但图像资料在“可信度”与“清晰度”上的困境,以及其作为文字叙述补充的附属地位影响其入史的限度与可能性,引发历史学理论层面对于史料观念的思考。此番问题的讨论究其根源在于当前史学领域虽在应用领域关注图像史料,但是仍旧未能脱离文字史料研究的路径惯性,因此也就未能对图像自身特殊的记录方式及其所决定的多元内容信息予以理论视角的明晰。以档案学视角重新审视图像证史的问题本质与作用机制,借图像资料本身的档案属性与史料特质,图像得以进入历史研究的视野进而成为客观、原始的文本依据,继而完成图像入史的研究前提;而要真正实现图像证史的目的,则要全面的认识图像的内容构成及其所对应的历史联系,以更为详细、全面的文献记载还原更为复杂、多面的历史事实。所以图像证史问题的讨论要回归图像史料的记录特性本身,在史料的求真、求新之外更要求全,在实现完整、系统的史料观念认知与运用的同时,也为更多的相关问题提供思路与方法借鉴。

The use of images as historical evidence is not only an important topic in the field of traditional art history,but also an important prerequisite for the entry of image research into the field of history.Although images as new historical materials and sources of evidence have entered the study of history,the challenges faced by image materials in terms of credibility and clarity,as well as their subsidiary status as a supplement to textual narratives,have affected the scope and possibilities of their entry into history,leading to reflections on the concept of historical materials at the theoretical level of history.The root cause of this discussion lies in the fact that although the current historiography focuses on the use of image-related historical materials,it still cannot break away from the traditional ways of text-based historical research.Therefore,it has not been possible to provide a theoretical perspective on the unique recording methods of images and the diverse content information.From the perspective of archival studies,and through re-examining the essence and mechanism of image evidence in history and leveraging the archival attributes and historical characteristics of image materials,images can enter the perspective of historical research and become the objective and primitive textual basis,thus completing the research premise of image history.To truly achieve the goal of verifying history through images,it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the content elements of images and their corresponding historical connections,and to restore more complex and multifaceted historical facts through more detailed and comprehensive documentary records.Therefore,the discussion on the use of images as historical evidence should return to the recording characteristics of image-related historical materials themselves.In addition to seeking truth and novelty in historical materials,it requires comprehensiveness.While achieving a complete and systematic understanding and application of the concepts about historical materials,it also provides ideas and methods for more related issues.