Meaning in Art - part Two
Our understanding of how meaning is conveyed has grown hugely in the past 100 years. Technically this is known as the science of semiotics, or sometimes semantics.
Everything we encounter in life - a word, an image, a sound and so on - has a meaning for us. In one sense this isn't new. The Ancients saw meaning in the world around them - think astrology or omens. But those were meanings which were given by the gods or some higher power. Semiotics deals with the meanings which we find or place in things.
For example, a red cross on a white background means nothing in itself. But people will read it variously as 'First Aid' or 'St George' or 'England' and so on. Sitting by itself, the red cross means nothing. But when people engage with it, it is capable of many meanings.
In one sense that red cross could mean anything. But for most people, the meaning they find will depend on certain factors.
First comes consensus.
What does everyone else think a red cross means? There is no rational link between a red cross (or crescent) and First Aid, but everyone from the Geneva War Convention to the Boy Scouts has agreed that it will mean that.
Then there is association.
Whenever I see a red cross it reminds of all those 23 Aprils when I was on Church Parade. Or when I went to support England at Wembley.
Then there is usage - a bit of both of the last two.
Whenever I have drawn or used a red cross it has meant such-and-such.
Two more things.
The symbol or sign has a meaning.
The symbol or sign is not the meaning.
No amount of laying a red cross on an injury will make it better.
The meaning can change over time.
If I am a black person living in England in recent years, a red cross on a white background might signify extreme right-wing attitudes and a threat.
How does this help with understanding art?
Take this painting from the National Gallery London.
If I was a visitor from Planet Zog (stay with me on this) I might decide that this was a picture of two people addressing a piece of architecture - a pillar supporting an arch. One of the creatures is fairly androgenous and seems to have wings. Someone has left a house plant lying about.
Or we might decide: this conforms to a type of religious painting known as an Annunciation. That means the character on the left is an angel called Gabriel, and the one on the right is Mary (which we would have guessed anyway because of the pink dress and blue cloak). We know, almost without thinking, that the pot of lilies stands for Mary's virginity, and we appreciate the separation of 'heaven' and 'earth' effected by the pillar. If we had a lot of experience of art we might guess that it was 14th century Italian because of a number of factors, not least the sense of perspective (which began to develop in 14th century Italy). Phew!
This kind of reading of art (the second one!) goes on at both conscious and unconscious levels. It depends on our experience.
It also happens to coincide with what the artist probably intended.
Unless he was working on a commission from a patron on Planet Zog ...
Read on.