2022/10/04 by Elisa Caldarola · 1 voice
Neuroscience · Psychology · #Aesthetic Perception and Analysis #Multisensory perception and integration #Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
paper · doi:10.1093/aesthj/ayac064
openalex publication_date 2022/10/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
How do pictures convey meaning? In this tightly packed study, John Kulvicki defends the view that pictorial semantics and syntax are no less important for this task than pictorial pragmatics. The book has many merits: first, it provides an elegant, unified account of pictorial semantics and develops an explanatorily effective (albeit somewhat counter-intuitive) method for identifying the syntactic parts of pictures and maps, thus paving the way for new research on traditionally less debated topics within the depiction debate. Importantly, Kulvicki provides an account of referential uses of pictures that, albeit alternative to others offered within the depiction debate, does not conflict with them (p. 74–75). Furthermore, the book offers many insightful observations on the relationship between pictures and language, as well as new tools for looking at iconographic representation, metaphorical pictures, photographs, maps, and comics. My main reservation concerns the fact that Kulvicki’s arguments are at times rather tangled and difficult to follow. More examples and more step-by-step comparisons between language and pictures would have improved my reading experience. Given its topic, the book may find an audience among iconography scholars and semioticians: a more accessible prose would help approaching them.