Short essay

B Rhetoric of the lmage ROLAND BARTHES ccording to an ancient etymology, Ihe word image should be linked to the root imitari. Thus we find ourselves immediately at the heart of the most important problem facing the semiology of images: can ana- logical representation (the "copy") produce true systems of signs and not merely simple agglutinations of symbols? Is it possible to conceive of an ana- logical "code"(as opposed to a digital one)? We know that linguists refuse the status of language to all communication" by analogy-from the "language" of bees to the "language" of gesture-the moment such communications are not doubly articulated, are not founded on a combinatory system of digital units as phonemes are. Nor are linguists the only ones to be suspicious as to the linguistic nature of the image; general opinion too has a vague conception of the image as an area of resistance to meaning-this in the name of a certain mythical idea of Life:

the image is re-presentatiory which is to say ultimately resurrection, and, as we know, the intelligible is reputed antipathetic to lived experience. Thus from both sides the image is felt to be weak in respect of meaning: there are those who think that the image is an extremely rudimen- tary system in comparison with language and those who think that significa- tion cannot exhaust the image's ineffable richness. Now even-and above all if -the image is in a certain manner thelimit of meaning, it permits the con- sideration of a veritable ontology of the process of signification. How does meaning get into the image?

Where does it end? And if it ends, what is there beyond? Such are the questions that I wish to raise by submitting the image to a spectral analysis of the messages it may contain. We will start by making it considerably easier for ourselves: we will only study the advertising image.

Why? Because in advertising the signification of the image is undoubtedly intentional; the signifieds of the advertising message are formed a priori by certain attributes of the product and these signifieds have to be transmitted as clearly as possible. If the image contains signs, we can be sure that in From Image - Music - Text. Sei. and Trans. Stephen Heath. New York:

Hill and Wang, 1,977.32-51,. advertising these signs are full, forr the advertising image is frank, or at THn Tnnrn MEsslcrs Here we have a Panzani advertisen some tomatoes, onions, peppers/ a :

string bag, in yellows and greens c off" the different messages it contai The image immediately yield:

guistic; its supports are the captior being inserted into the natural disp from which this message has been t language; the only knowledge requ ing and French. In fact, this messagt sign Panzani gives not simplv the n an additional signified, that of "lu twofold (at least in this particular Since, however, we have here onlr' ulated (written) language, it n'ill t'.

Putting aside the linguistic m (even if the labels are part of it, .rr vides a series of discontinuous sigr signs are not linear), the idea that r' return from the market. A signified that of the freshness of the prodr.

preparation for which they are dt which lets the provisions spill out first sign requires only a knon'lcdg of the habits of a very widespread self" is opposed to the hastv stocki "mechanical" civilization. A seconr signifier is the bringing together oi hues (yellow, green, red) of the post This sign stands in a relation of rec'lr guistic message (the Italian assona edge it draws upon is alreadv mcr knowledge (an Italian would bareh more probably than he would the it a familiarity with certain tourist ste (which is not to say that it is not er difficulty in discovering at least trr Iection of different objects transmits one hand as though Panzani furni balanced dish and on the other ar equivalent to the natural producr 152 aql 'u8rs raqlo aql uI 1+I Sulpunorrns aJnpord l€rn1€u ar{} ol }uale^Inba ala^{ url aql ul al€rlua)uor aLIl qSnoql s€ rat{lo ar{l uo pue qslp paJuPI€q dgn;arec e ro; dressaoau Sutqldrana paqsluJn] ruezued q8noql se pu€q auo aql uo'eJrlras d.reurlnr plol e Jo eapr aql sllusue4 slcalqo ]uaraJtlp Jo uollral -loJ parJras aq+ 'lsJIJ aql u1 :su31s rar{lo oMl }s€al }€ 8ur'rarrocstp ur dllnrrgrp ou sr arar{l '(acue18 lsrrJ ar{l lE realr d1a.rrlua lou sI trI leql des o} }ou sI t{rlqzrt) a8eurr aql aroldxa o1 Surnurluo3 'saddloarals lsrrnol ul€lral qlIM dlIreIIIurEJ € uo paseq'(raddad pue oleurol;o dlnrueryell ar{l plnom aq ueql dlqeqord a'rour ou'aureu ar{l Jo uope}ouuo) arll a.trar.rad dlareq plnoM u€rpll ue) a8pal,raoml ,,qruarg,, dgerryrads € sI lr lrelnr4red arour dpealp sr uodn s.t,rerp 1r a8pa -lrntornl aql pu€ Quazuarl aureu aql Jo aJueuosse ueIIelI aql) a8essaur rrlstnB -uq aql yo uBrs palouuof, ar{} rillm dcuepunpar Jo uoI}EIar e uI spuels u8rs srql 'fr1nruatpq m{t€r ro ^,{p11 sr parpu8rs slr jralsod aql yo (par'uaar8'.uo11ad) sanq paJolorrrl ar{l pue taddad aql'oleurol aqt;o raqlaSol Sur8utrq aql sI ralJIuBIS slr lluapr^a dlpnba ssal ro aJour sI u8rs puoras V 'uo4ezIIIAIJ ,,le)IueqJalu,, arour € ;o (srolera8uJar 'salrasard) dn Surpols ftseq aql o1 pasoddo sI ,,JIas -auo roJ punor€ Surddoqs,, araqm arnllnr pea.rdsapr.tr dran e Jo sllqer{ ar{l Jo lred se palueldtur uos auros uI sI qJILI.&{ a8pa1,llou1 e dpo sarrnbar u8rs lsrr; srql pear o1 ,,'papedun,, 'a1qe1 aLI+ ra^o 1no lpds suorsr,rord ar{} slal qrlqm 8eq uado-1eq aql sl rar;ru8rs sll 'pau4sap a"re daql qJIqM ro; uorle;edard )rlsaurop dle4uassa ar{l Io leql pue slrnpord aql to ssauqsar} aql Jo l€ql :sanl€A rrloqdna o.u.1 sarldrur Jlaslr qJIqM par;ru8rs V '+a>lreur aq+ wory urnlar e sr paluasardar auals ar{l uI a^er{ a1!t }eqM }er{l eapl aq1 '(rcauq lou a're suSrs asaql se luel"rodurrun sI rapro agl) lsrlC 'su8rs snonulluo)slp Jo salras e sapll -ord de,r,relq8rerls a8eurr srql '(dplopraue 'lI ;o ged arc slaq€l aqt p uana) a8erur arnd aql r{llm Ual ar€ a,u 'a8essaut rrlsrnBurl aql aplse 3u41n4 'a8essaru auo se palunoJ aq IIIM 1r 'a8en8uel (uapr'rzvr) palep -Jrue Jo 1eq1 dlaureu.'u8rs prrddl a18urs e dpo arar{ a^eq a.u 'la.la.rrroq 'arurg 'Ieuorlelouuor pue Ieuorlelouap :(a8eun relncrlred slq] uI 1see1 1e) ploJoml snql q a8essaur orlsrn8url ar{J ,,&lJlu€4eil,, p leql 'paIJIuBIS Ieuoqlppe ue 'a)ueuoss€ s1r dq 'os1e lnq urrlJ aql 'o aureu aqt dldurrs 1ou sarrr8 ruazua4 u8s aql roJ'umop ua>lorq raqunJ aq JIaslI uer a8essaru s1r{}'lJEt uI 'tlJuarC pue 3ur -lrrm Jo a8pal.trool e sr 1r.raqdnap o1 parrnbar a8pal.ttoul dluo aql la8en8uel q)uarc aql Io l€LIl ueql rar{+o auou sI ua>lel uaaq seq aSessaru slq} qcrqM urorJ apoJ aqJ ,,'awliqa tra,,'aua)s ar{l Jo uolllsodsrp lernleu ar{l olul pagasur Suraq asar{l /slaqel aqt pu€ 'leur8reru sr qrlqm 'uotldec aql are slroddns s1r lcrlsrn8 -url sr aru€lsqns asoqm aSessaur 1srr1 e splard dlalerparuurr a8eurr aq1 'sureluo) 1r sa8essaur lualaurp aql ,,JJo rur)s,, ol ,,ft1 sn 1a1 ,'punorSpeq par € uo suaar8 pue s-^a.o11ad ur '8eq 8urr1s uado-;pq € uroJJ Sur8raua IIe 'urooJqsnur e 'sraddad 'suoluo 'saoleurol aluos 'laqJes e'wr+e'e1sed yo splled auros :luauraslualpe Iuezued e a^€r{ a.tt aJaH s:rDvssatrN a!IUHI:IHI 'rrleqdrua lseal +e rc '1uu{ sr a8eurr Sursrua^p€ aq} :8urpea.r r.unru4do aql ol MaIA e r{ll'rl pauroJ 'IInJ are su8rs asaq+ Sursrlra.Lpe 09I a3ou1 a4q lo cuotrtlu :SiIHJuVg 8 '3ue7q pue IIIH :>lrol ma51 'qleag uaqd ur leql aJns aq uef, a.tr 'su8rs sur se pallrrusup4 aq ol aneq spar;ru8rs .

,tq uoud u paurroJ are a8essaw 8ur' dpalqnopun sr a8etur ar{l Jo uoller 'a8eurr 8ursr1ra,r.pe aq1 lpnls ,i1uo 11 l1 Suqeu dq lrels IIIM aM 'urptuor ., o1 a8eur aql Su11t1tu{ns lq asre: oi r araql sl l€r{.u 'spua +l il puv Zpua ll saop rltoH 'uor1ecr1ru8rs yo ssa:o:d -uo) aql slturrad 1r 'Surueatu Jo ll'i,:' IIe a^oqe pue-ua^a .^4oN Ssaur{fu -ecrlru8rs rpql >lu1r.{+ or{.tr asor{t pup .

-uarurpnJ l1aua,4xa ue sr a8eur aql ;o lcadsa.r ur >l€a^r aq ol ]lal sr aFer pa^q ol rrpqledpue palndar sr alqrF dlalerurlp des o1 sr r{Jlq,t,r 'uoqelus urelJaf e Jo aweu aql ur s1{l -Burup:

uo4daruoo an8err e spr{ ool uorurdo 1 o1 se snonrdsns aq otr sauo ,{po aqt FlISIp ;o uralsds droleutqr.uor e uo aJ€ suorleJrununuoJ r{Jns luaurout a ,,a?en8ue1,, aq1 urory-d8o1eue .iq ., aql asnJar slsrn8url leql n,rorD{ a.\1 a { ..

-eue ue Jo anra)uo) o1 alqrssod 1r s1 ; lou pue su8rs yo suralsds anr arnt -Eu€ ueJ :sa8erur yo dSoloruras aql 3u aql le dlalerpaunur sallasrno purl a.\l a8awt pto'vt aql 'dSolotudla luaoue S a8uu1 1,54 THE RHETORIC OF THE IMAGE composition of the image, evoking the memory of innumerable alimentary paintings, sends us to an aesthetic signified: the"nature morte" or, as it is bet- ter expressed in other languages, the "still I'fe"3; the knowledge on which this sign depends is heavily cultural. It might be suggested that, in addition to these four signs, there is a further in{ormation pointer, that which tells us that this is an advertisement and which arises both from the place of the image in the magazine and from the emphasis of the labels (not to mention the cap- tion). This last in{ormation, however, is co-extensive with the scene; it eludes signification insofar as the advertising nature of the image is essentially func- tional: to utter something is not necessarily to declare t am speaking, except in a deliberately reflexive system such as literature.

Thus there are four signs for this image and we will assume that they form a coherent whole (for they are all discontinuous), require a generally cul- tural knowledge, and refer back to signifieds each of which is global (for example, Italianicity), imbued with euphoric values. After the linguistic mes- sage, then, we can see a second, iconic message. Is that the end? If all these signs are removed from the image, we are still left with a certain informa- tionai matter; deprived of all knowledge, I continue to "read" the image, to "understand" that it assembles in a common space a number of identifiable (nameable) objects, not merely shapes and colors. The signifieds of this third message are constituted by the real objects in the scene, the signifiers by these same objects photographed, for, given that the relation between thing signi- fied and image signifying in analogical representation is not "arbitrary" (as it is in language), it is no longer necessary to dose the relay with a third term in the guise of the psychic image of the object. What defines the third message is precisely that the relation between signified and signifier is quasi-tautological; no doubt the photograph involves a certain arrangement of the scene (fram- ing, reduction, flattening) but this transition is not a transformation (in the wav a coding can be); we have here a loss of the equivalence characteristic of true sign systems and a statement of quasi-identity. In other words, the sign of this message is not drawn from an institutional stock, is not coded, and we are brought up against the paradox (to which we will return) of a message without a code.a This peculiarity can be seen again at the level of the knor,vledge invest- ed in the reading of the message; in order to "read" this last (or first) level of the image, all that is needed is the knowledge bound up with our perception.

That knowledge is not nil, for we need to know what an image is (children only learn this at about the age of four) and what a tomato, a string-bag, a packet of pasta are, but it is a matter of an almost anthropological knowledge.

This message corresponds, as it were, to the letter of the image and we can agree to call it the literal message, as opposed to the previous symbolic 'message.

If our reading is satisfactory, the photograph analyzed offers us three messages: a linguistic message, a coded iconic message, and a non-coded iconic message. The linguistic message can be readily separated from the other two, but since the latter share the same (iconic) substance, to what extent have we the right to separate them? It is certain that the distinction between the two iconic messages is ing: the viewer of the image recei' message and the cultural message, in reading corresponds to the func The distinction, however, has an oP allows the distinction in the lingui:

though in reality no one is able I e-xcept by recourse to the metalang rnits us to describe the structure o ion and if this description paves tf irnage in society, we will take it to sider each type of message so as t( sight of our aim of understanding inter-relationship of the three mes:

a "naive" analysis but a structural be modified a little by the inversi message; of the two iconic messagt second: the literal message aPPear Hence, knowing that a sYstem r.r'h in order to make them its signifier immediately that the literal image Successively, then, we shall look at and the connoted image.

THn LNcutsrIC MESSAGE Is the linguistic message constant?

around the image? In order to find necessary to go back to partiallr-l state of the image. From the mom, ing of text and image is frequent, from a structural point of vieu'. \1 tion"? Does the image duPlicate ce a phenomenon of redundancv or ( image? The problem could be Pose with its passion for books with Pic century that editions of La Fontait authors such as Menestrier rthcr between figure and discourse.- To' appears that the linguistic messag caption, accompanying Press artlcl shows that it is not verY accurate t still, and more than ever. a cir iliza uing to be the full terms of the inf, presence of the linguistic messagt length seem to be Pertinent (.r lo pqolS alSurs e asrrdulor dpo deu 1xa1 3uo1 e) luauluad aq ol uraas t{}3ua1 slr rou uorqrsod slr raqllau .ro; 'slunor leql a8essau rrlsrn8url aql 1o aruasa.rd aql dldurrs sr 1r /]rEJ uI 'arnlrnrls I€uolleturotq aql Jo surrel IInJ aqtr aq o1 Surn -urluoJ qraads pue Surlr;rur ,'3ur1rr,l,t Jo uoIlezIIIAIJ e tala uer{l arour pu€ /lllls are a,tt-a8erur aql Jo uoqezrlrlr) € Jo )lel ol aleJnJ)e dra,r lou sI lI leql sMoLIS qrlqM 'uoolleq dr.4s ruroc'anSoprp urlrJ'alrlue ssard Surduedurorre 'uorldec 'a1l1l se :a8etur dra,r.a ur luasard paapur sr a8essaru rrlsrnBurl aq] leql sreadde lr 'suorleJrunluluoJ ssew Jo Ia^al aL{} 1e '.{epo1 l'asJnoJslp pue aln8r; uaaMlaq suorlElal aql qlIM sa^lasuraql pauJaJuo) oq]\^ ralrlsaualN s€ qJns sJoLIlnE slr pue (palerlsnp aq lou ppor{s salqal spureluoc eT Jo suolllpa leql drnluar qluaalq8ra aql ul aiqe^laruo)ur se.rt il) sa.rnlrrd qll.tt sTooq ro; uotssed sll qll,rt porrad le)rssplr aql spre8a; se dllerrrolsrq pasod aq plnoJ uralqord aq1 ;a8erur aLIl o] uo4eurroJul LISaTJ e ppp lxal ar{l saop .ro ,{ruepunpar Jo uouaurouaqd e dq lxal aql u1 ua.lr8 suorleurroJur arll Jo ur€ual alerqdnp a8eurr aql saocl z,,uoll -erlsnilr,, Jo arnlrnrls Surd;ru8rs ar{l sl ler{M '.llall Jo lurod lerryonrls e urorJ parpnls alllll uaaq a^eLI ol suraas Jr q8noql '1uanba.r; sr a8etur pue lxaq ;o 8ur ->iurl aql />looq ar{l 1o aruereadd€ aq} Jo luaruour aql uorC 'a8erur ar{l Jo a}e+s rrtlderSolrrd Jo uos e ol 'sallalros alerall1ll dle4red ol >lreq oB o1 d.ressarau ssallqnop sr 1r 'sp.ro.ra lnoqllm ua,l.r8 sa8eurl pul, ol rapro uI 2a8ewr aq+ punor€ Jo 'rapun 'ur Jalleur Ienlxal sde,,ra.1e aJaLIl sI aluelsuoJ a8essaru rrlsrn8url aql s1 :TDVSSSIAtr JITSInSNIf aHI 'a8erur palouuo) aLIl pu€ 'a8eur palouap aq; 'a8essalu rqsrn8url aqtr le >lool lleqs aaa'uaq1 'dla,Lrssarcng 'papuuoJ a8etur crloqtu^,{s aql pue papuap st a8etut pra}Il aq+ }eg1 dlalerparuurr .,ies deru a,l,r e'uorl€louuoJ to rualsds e sr s.raryru8rs sll ruaq+ a>leuJ ol Japro uI tua;sds Jaqloue ;o su8rs aLIl Ja^o sa>Iel qJn{.ta uralsds e 1eq1 Sur,ttou>I 'aJuaH 'a8essaru ,,rr1oqw.,{s,, at11 go l.toddns aql se sreadde aBessatu Ieralrl aql :puoras aq] uo palurrdtur JJos aruos ur sr lsrrJ aq1 'sa8essaur JIuoJI o,ta,] aql Jo 1a8€ssau Ieralrl aql pue a8essatu iernllnr aql Jo uorsra^ur aql dq atllll e parJrpou aq 11r.rr sa8essau arp Jo rapJo aql n'uorldr.rrsap Iern+Jnrls e ]nq stsdleue ,ptreu,,e Jou sr uorlsanb ur sr leqm leql ua^r3 'sa8essaur aaJrll aql;o drqsuorlelar-Jalul IeurJ aql 'a8etur aql to arnl)nrls Ilera^o aql Sulpuelsrapun Jo urle rno ;o lq8rs 8urso1 lnoqlr.r,r 'dlrleraua8 s1r ut 11 aroldxa ol se os a8essatu yo ad,{1 LIJea Japrs -uoJal ol sm{l sr .ltou Tse} aqJ 'par;4snf aq ol ll aTe} IIIM a.,r.r 'dlanos ur a8etur aql Jo alor ar{l Jo uollpueldxa ue ro; de.tr aql sa,ted uorldt.rrsap sILI} JI pue uol -qs€J luaJaqor pue aldturs e ur a8etur atl] Jo arnlJn4s ar{l aqlrJsap ol sn slru -rad uoqrurlsp aql g '(uorlrur;ap e;o a8en8ueplaur aq] ol asrno)ar dq ldarxa Surueau slr urorJ ,prow,, aql aleredas o] alqe sI auo ou l14ear ur q8noql uarra) paryu8rs e pue rar;ru8rs e;o u8rs rrlsrn8url ar{l ur uorlJul}slp aq} s,\lolle qJIqM ler{} ol snoSoleue dlrpr1err leuotle.rado ue sel{'Ja^amor{'uollJullsrp aLII '(a.raq uraouor rno) a8eurr sseur aql Jo uo4JunJ aql o1 spuodsa.rroc Surpea.r ur uorsn;uo) srql lpql ralpl uaas aq tlM 1r pue'a8essaul lprnllnr aql pue aBesseu lerydarrad aql aw!4 awas a41 pua auo t, sanlarar a8etur aql Jo ra.ltarl aql :8ur -pear dreurp;o ur dlsnoaueluods aperu lou sr sa8essaur JIuoJI oml ar{l uaamlaq 99I a&uu1 a47 lo ruoptl>:t ;SeHIuVg 8 uor+Jurlsrp ar{} lelll ur€lral sl ll cu leqm ol 'a)ue+sqns (rruorr) allrps , aql urorJ paleredas dppea.r aq up.' papoJ-uou e pue 'a8essaru fruo)t aarql sn srago pazdpue qderSolo' crloqruds snorrrard aL{} ol pasorld( uer a,r,t pue a8eurr aql to rallal aql 'a8payntou4 pcrSolodo.rqlue lsoru I p e '3eq-3ur,4s e 'oleruol e ler{.\ pup ua"rppqr) sr a8erur ue IeLIM .\.\ou)l Ll 'uorldacrad rno qllm dn punoq aFp; to la^al (rsr1y ro) ]s€l sR{l ,,p€ar,, ol .

-lsalur a8pa1,,r,rou>1 ar{l Jo {a,ral a!1 }r 4noqlnz a8ussaw e yo (u-rn1ar IIr-\ a.\l alu a. pup /papoJ lou sr ,1:o1s 1eu srql 1o u8rs aql 'sproM raqlo u1 i1r1u enJ+ Jo JrlsrJalJerer{c aruale,r.rnbc aq de,rt aql ur) uo4atu"tolsirrlt e lou sr ur.

-ue;1) auaJs ar{l yo truarua8uerrp urr 1pcr8o1o1ne1-rsenb sr ;ar;ru€rs pup p.

sr a8essatu prnp aq+ saurJap leq.\ l- ur urral prn{l e L{II,lt delar alil asop o 1r se) ,,drer1rqre,, +ou sr uorleluasa:d, -ru8rs Surql uaamlaq uorlelar aql lpr asaqt lq srarlu8rs ar{l /auaJs aql ur s prn{+ sryl;o spar;ru81s ar{I 'srolor p alqerJrluapr Jo laqunu e alpds uor.u o1 'a8eurr aql ,,peaJ,, ol anurluor I ,, -Eurroru ure+ral e qll^{ ual IIqs alE asoql Jle JI Zpua aqt leql s1 'aBessar.r -satu crlsrn8url aLIl JaUV 'sanlp.

lrc roy) pqo13 sr qJrqM Jo Llrea sparlrl 1nr dle.raua8 e arrnba;'(snonurluo:r daql leqr aurnsse IIrM aM pue a8eu 'aJnlPla:

ur ldarxa '3ut4aads rar 7 a"repap o1 -ip -run1 dlerluassa sr a8eurr aql Jo arnlr sapnla +r laua)s aql qll.tr alrsualxa-o.

-der aqt uorluaru o1 1ou) slaqpl aql ur a8erur aql yo aceld a{l worJ {toe :

lPql sn sllal r{}rl^^ l€Lll 'lalurori u()rtp ol uoqrppe ur '+eql pa1sa83ns aq lq sn{l rlrrqM uo a8pal.r,touT aLIl 1.,,alrl Il -laq q ll se 'ro ,,aLrcw atr\au ,, aql :par {;eluaurrle alqeJaurnulrr ;o,rrourau