Critical Studies One - What is an Image?

WJT Mitchell, in 1986, he comments on the work of Mark Twain’s and Doris Lessing’s theory of ‘what is an image?’ is the exploration of limits in pictorial expression and language. The idea of simplification of pictorial works through language- specifically through painting (but what I familiarize myself with in this essay is photography, which I believe the theory still applies.) Taking an experience from viewing an image and explaining it with language is what Lessing argues as incapable. Taking the notion of story telling and trying to convey it through a static image is what Lessing notes as ‘grotesque forms of allegory’ (Mitchell 41) as explaining progressive forms to static forms does not translate. Twain also forward for the theory rather than criticizing the idea explains the limits. Which we know as the failed translation. From which we further take language and break it down into Henri Van Liers work of ‘signs, indexes and indices’ (17-20).

In Agreement with Twain and Lessing that a full experience, but not an experience at all, is lost through the translation into language, the work of Henri Van Lier’s ‘Real vs. Reality’ (36-38) can help elaborate. From the present time, what we currently experience should be noted as real, it couldn’t be explained in any shape or form created by humanity. That is to say the quasi-relations of the in-itself by Sartre or rather it “is not yet domesticated by our technical, scientific and social relations” (Van Lier 36). Contrast to real, is what we have domesticated from it- in any form, language or pictorial expression we take of the real, becomes reality. A system needed to function within humans for able-bodied communication- breaking down real into reality through signs, indexes and indices. A variety of international intentional and non-intentional signs and symbols that indicate to our brain. The notion that a red car is the colour red.


Van Lier, Henri. Philosophy of Photography. Belgium: Leuven University Press, 2007.

W.J.T Mitchell, "what Is An Image?, Iconology: Image, Text, Ideology. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1986, pp.40-46.