The Index and the Icon

mickyates Abstract, Art, ContextualResearch, Coursework, Critical Research Journal, ICWeek2, Ideas, Informing Contexts 5 Comments

Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) was an early semiotician. His work was based on the pursuit of scientific and logical truth, and he developed his semiotics by using graphical representations (drawings and sketches). In discussing the kinds of relations that exist visually between signs and their objects, he noted three categories: an index – a reference to reality, including constituent parts of …

Las Meninas

mickyates Aesthetics, Art, Collage, Coursework, Critical Research Journal, Figurative, ICWeek2, Ideas, Illustration, Informing Contexts, Photography, Realism, Surrealism 1 Comment

I am intrigued by the way that Velazquez’ Las Meninas has been used as inspiration through the years. The painting itself seems to meet most of Szarkowski‘s five point framework. Whilst clearly not a photograph, there is a realism about the image, reminiscent of a 17th century Dutch Realistic painting. Las Meninas is posed, has great detail yet a rather …