The means of communication in human society are numerous but the use of images is one of the strongest and direct ways to transmit a message.
Images are often used to replace words as the representation of concrete things or to show the abstract conception of the world by artists through paintings. In the purpose of discussing our topic “word and images” we will compare two interesting paintings made by two different artists using images to represent different things but still in the same purpose which is to gives us an idea of how we perceive objects and how we expect them to look like. The first image is from Pablo Picasso and the painting title is “Les demoiselles d’avignon. The second image is from Rene Magritte and the image is the representation of a pipe.
Images are often used to replace words as the representation of concrete things or to show the abstract conception of the world by artists through paintings. In the purpose of discussing our topic “word and images” we will compare two interesting paintings made by two different artists using images to represent different things but still in the same purpose which is to gives us an idea of how we perceive objects and how we expect them to look like. The first image is from Pablo Picasso and the painting title is “Les demoiselles d’avignon. The second image is from Rene Magritte and the image is the representation of a pipe.
The image” Les demoiselles d’avignon” is a representation of prostitutes in their nakedness in a very funny way. The women are naked with a seductive or provocative position. They fix the viewer with very appealing regards. The woman on the extreme right of the picture seems to be opening a door and the one in the seated position has an horrible face representing an African mask. This image is not realistic because the background is not clear and the women have an unnatural looking. This image must seem not clear a first view, but deep analyses tell us how the artists perceived this prostitute in his mind and how he would describe them without using words. Through image Pablo was able to capture the seductive look and even the provocative attitude that could not be described so clearly with words. The ugly faces could be the artist’s way of telling us what he feels about these women and their activity.
The second image, in contrast to the first one represents an object that is more realistic. A pipe is a part of our daily life and It fits better to our understanding of representational image. It represents something that we are familiar with. However, the artist précised that this was not the object in question but just a representation of it. Words can also be used to represent things but image are more direct and less complex than words. In this case, we already know from past experience how a pipe looks like. There is no surprise that we automatically recognize the object because we already had a preexisting image of a pipe in mind. In contrary, “The demoiselle d’avignon” painting represented a new environment and needed more analysis to get the artist message. In this situation, a reading about the painting was necessary to get the artist point while a simple look of the second image was enough to understand it.
These two paintings are completely different in the color, the style and the meaning but they have the same purpose which is to represent object or people in our ordinary life. we may not agree on the details or the drawing style but we definitely agree on the final message that comes from the images.
Work Cited
“Words and images” chapter 2 “A World of Art” by Henry M. sayre. page 13, 19-25
I enjoyed reading your compare and contrast essay. The introduction was clear and sets the readers mind before actually getting into the writing itself. You were clear in the contrasting portion, however there was little offered in the comparison portion. Overall, it was a good read.**Jennifer Abbott-Pope
ReplyDeleteVery detail! Even though there are not any pictures, I still can "see" pictures with your words. -Li-
ReplyDeleteWhat if "Les demoiselles d’avignon" was entitled "the prostitutes" instead. Do you think it would have changed anything to the way we perceive it? ^^
ReplyDeleteI think it would have shed more light on the painting but might have taken a bit of mystery on Picasso's abstract artwork
ReplyDeleteI think that titling the painting "les demoiselles d'avignon" was a way of giving a little bit of respect to these girls. Prostitutes is not appropriate because it could have inspire some repulsion to the viewer and it could have pushed him to have a negative judgement of the painting based on social principles rather then artistic view point.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job organizing your essay and making a clear statement. This allows me to go into details of your argument:
ReplyDeleteThis sentence is the important part: "the purpose which is to gives us an idea of how we perceive objects and how we expect them to look like". This means that the subject of your essay is difference in perception and expectations from objects.
When you conclude "These two paintings are completely different in the color, the style and the meaning", it will be good to refer back to that subject and ask yourself how do all the differences that you described between the paintings show a difference in perception and expectation from ordinary objects?
In the same way, when you conclude that both are similar in that they "represent object or people in our ordinary life", ask - do they have something in common in how they represent ordinary life? if not, why is the fact that they use ordinary objects and people important (and by the way what are ordinary people?)