What Is The Treachery of Images?

[guysongirls]

This is not a pipe. It is a painting of a pipe. But it's not even that! It is a video of a painting of a pipe. BUT it's not even that! It is most likely an image taken from the internet of a copy of a photo of the painting of the pipe. I love this painting.

[Belboz]

I've been learning Spanish and German and I'm amazed at how many words we take at face-value as the "correct word" to use in a sentence, but if asked to describe that word, what it really means besides how it's used, we fall short.

For example the person living in the apartment is the tenant. We know to use the word tenant, but only because we've been taught it's the correct word to use. But if you studied a romance language like Spanish, or better still Latin, you'd know that it stems from the Latin " tenēre" which means "to hold". Once you realize this, the correlation between another word such as "Lieutenant" become obvious, someone who holds the fort in lieu, or in place of, someone else. This correlation is lost because the meaning is lost.

We're at the point with the English language that most English speakers don't even realize that "Monday" comes from the older usage of "Moon Day", let alone that several of our days of the week come from Norse Gods, such as Woden, Thor, Freyja.


The original meaning to the words we use every day has become so detached from their original meaning that to most people who speak the language, the words only have a meaning when used in the context with which we're taught. Monday is the 2nd day of the week, we know it comes after Sunday and before Tuesday, but what does the word really mean? Without that context, it's original meaning is completely lost, and is has no meaning in it's place.

[edwardblack]

Have you considered doing an 'understanding philosophy' series. Just a suggestion.

[rexdaileg]

I was listening to Tree and smoking a Bear whilst sitting under a Kanye when a Pipe came running by.

[MserH]

The sentence makes perfect sense on many levels.

This (representation) is not (literally) a pipe.
(The word) "This" is not a pipe.
This (is a framed painting and) is not a pipe.

[gabriellebass]

Well that's enough thinking for today

[splashlog]

"You call that a pipe, this is a pipe"

-Some guy, a long time ago

[SeRoAnthem]

Meanwhile Magritte is laughing "lmao i was just tryin 2 mess wit u niggas lol"

[austingaebe]

Thank you for this. Rene Magritte is one of my favorite artists. In fact I'm saving some cash to buy a print of one of his paintings in The Empire of Lights series. I remember seeing one of his works at a museum with my dad (who honesty could care less about modern art) and he said exactly what I believe Magritte would've wanted us to say, "It's like seeing a nightmare." His works are so confrontational and beautiful and this was a very great video analyzing his most famous work. Please continue to bless my timeline!!

[andrewgarrison]

I want a mug that says "This is not a mug".
Please please please please!

[combomlambam]

Evan, +1 mug request from Turkey.
Keep making these, man. Outstanding work. I'm glad that your talent had the chance to shine in public, instead of being locked in a university lecture hall or somewhere else.
You compact high quality knowledge and present it through your art. Delightful..

[Avalyn_Wu]

I honestly shouldn't be surprised that your videos are always fucking awesome. I totally agree with the first portion of the video. I was never really into visual art so the question "what am I supposed to feel?" really resonates with me. This video, along with your other Understanding Art Painting videos have helped me learn how to appreciate visual art. Thanks for the amazing videos, they're always what I look forward to during the week.

PS. Can you do an Understanding Art for a David Fincher film? In my opinion he's one of the best directors working today.

[CDiggy]

Why does it feel like my brain is dancing?

[theriffwriter]

So it could just as easily be called "treachery of language"

[QUARTERMASTEREMI]

*“As a rule, the more bizarre a thing is, the less mysterious it proves to be.”*
– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes

[chriscamarata]

Great video as always!
To start, I rarely if ever comment on youtube videos but I had to say I've really loved how much more frequently your videos are coming out. I check literally every day for new videos to my subscribed channels and you're one of the ones I look forward to most of all.

As a physics degree science buff and medical student, I find that people like me benefit extraordinarily from your art videos. You know a great amount about science-y topics but far more than anyone I've seen about art, history, and media and your ability to communicate that is so well done.

If you're wanting to do more Understanding Art videos, I'm sending my request for a Big Lebowski video! I love the movie but I'd really like to see what you could come up with, knowing I won't be disappointed.

My only regret is that I think your level of analysis is so deep that it is hard for your channel to become as mainstream as channels like VSauce (another favorite). You have almost the same quality with 1/100th of his subscribers. Good luck in the future, I wish I knew more about advertising on youtube to help you but I'm sure you'll skyrocket soon.

[RahulSiyanwal]

I just love the way you use particular words in your explanations. Each word holds an unambiguous meaning. How can I write like you?

[melissaesmeco]

"This" is probably the best YouTube video I've ever seen in my life! As an artist who studied in an art school (only for 2 years ok) I have learnt more insight from this video than in all my fine art and art history lectures. I've always loved surrealist art, I paint a kind of surreal art myself, but this video just gave me a wave of brand new appreciation for the genre. Blew my mind. Thank you for creating it. 🐝

[AlleyBetwixt]

Lovely video!

Startled me a bit because I'm literally, right now as I go through my subscriptions, working on a Magritte re-make of sorts. It's in my lap. One of the Interpretation of Dreams pieces instead of the not-a-pipe Pipe. Magritte has been a favorite artist of mine for over a decade now since I first saw his work in middle school at SFMOMA. It's stunning stuff in person. I guess most art is, but yeah. The combination of precious detail and smooth rendering is unsettling/mesmerizing.

Great work with all the text manipulation. Very fitting.
I tip my representation of a bowler hat to you!

[haryman]

Holy shit that was amazing. I've never seen this piece pulled apart and contextualized like you just did. It makes the painting even more impactful.