Christine de Pisan (or Pizan) Medieval Writer, and Iconic Realism in Roman de la Rose

The Selected Writings of Christine de Pizan

A Norton Critical Edition

Christine de Pisan (or Pizan) was a 14-15^th century writer who illustrated the semiotic theory of iconic realism in many of her writings and particularly in her debate of the French poem, Roman de la Rose. 

I explain her contribution in the excerpt below from my first book, The Theory of Iconic Realism:

The semiotic constructs of symbolism, semantics and linguistic pragmatics provide the leverage for the creative ideas to manifest within each member of the audience. At this point, symbolism becomes a new association of the possibility for recognized imagery with unrecognized reality. A newly formed idea becomes the reality within the mind of the receiving audience, boundless in perception constraints. The audience member receives this reality and conceives the new idea through a multi-sensory experience. In reference to Roman de la Rose and interpretation, Christine de Pisan noted: 

Because human understanding cannot attain to a perfect knowledge of absolute truth and cannot comprehend mysteries on account of the gross, terrestrial darkness which impedes and obstructs true light, so that men draw conclusions from opinion rather than from certain knowledge – for these reasons, debates often arise among even the wisest of men because of differing opinions, each one striving to show by his reasoning that his particular opinion is the true one.^[1]

Through her rhetoric, Christine de Pisan illustrates the complexities involved with interpretation and the possibilities of renewed thought processes. No longer associated with the original idea, the new concept emerges with an energy of its own, with which the audience member can now associate creative action, continuing the creative process of the original thought. Thus, iconic realism magnifies the elements of semiotic theory through renewed perceptions that the receptive audience experiences with an artist’s rendering of reality.  

^[1]Christine de Pisan. La Querelle de la Rose: Letters and Documents.trans. Joseph L. Baird and John R. Kane. (Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina Press, 1978).

Rosie the Riveter and Iconic Realism

         

         photo from Google Images

From my book: The Theory of Iconic Realism: Understanding the Arts through a Cultural Context:

"Through the use of the semiotic theory of iconic realism, artists shape the consciousness of various aspects of culture, including education, history, business, and aesthetics whereby their works of art combine an iconic figure with a realistic setting that communicates an incompatibility with the accepted environment in which the audience commonly associates the iconic figure. Understanding the language presented through the art form, be it literary, visual, or aural, the audience may even respond with an emotional resistance, as it perceives the iconic representation in this new realistic setting." 

"Rosie the Riveter was an icon of the World War II era. The image of a pretty woman with her hair tied back, flexing her might, was completely out of place for the society’s image of a woman before 1941. However, this image provided inspiration to many women who were in need of money and who wanted to contribute to the war effort. The community was the female population of the United States of America during World War II. Her image continues to be an icon for feminine strength and perseverance through troubled times. Use of this icon as a source of feminine motivation is an example of the semiotic theory of iconic realism affecting the culture of a community" (Lakatos 81).

'Global Water Foundation and Iconic Realism (Click onto this title to see and hear the video)

Thumbnail photo from YouTube video

Climate change is not a modern phenomenon. On the contrary, our beautiful planet's climate has been changing for millions of years. Let's look at one current  method of dealing with the changes that do occur, particularly those changes associated with drought. 

An effective way for public service organizations to reach the public is through a multi-sensory approach. Such was the case with the Global Water Foundation. Years ago, to bring awareness of water shortages throughout the world, this organization created a brief, poignant film using iconic realism as a way to elucidate for its audience this grave ecological issue. In this brief film, the iconic image of a whale leaping out of the desert sand focuses the audience's attention to the increasingly devastating diminution of potable water in specific areas across our beautiful planet.  

Iconic realism and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"

Once, I spoke to a class about iconic realism and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." Within this short story, the iconic representation of human oppression, a Victorian woman, is juxtaposed with the powerful tool of self-expression: writing. As the narrator seems to lose her sanity, she actually draws attention to the cultural insanity of oppression. 

The yellow wallpaper, a sickly visual representation of her state of mind, illustrates the boundary of this woman's limitation, and thus, an internal struggle for freedom of expression and self-worth. The wallpaper, slowly peeling away from the wall, illustrates these concepts as she peels away the issues that cause her to suffer internally. 

Definition of the Semiotic Theory of Iconic Realism

Note: Occasionally, I post this to let any reader know what my semiotic theory actually is. Hope this brings some clarity for you. Cheers! 

Definition of the Semiotic Theory of Iconic Realism

by Jeanne I. Lakatos

Realism comprises authentic and independent aspects of the natural world, which individuals comprehend through sensory perception. The term icon describes a realistic person or realistic object, categorically perceived by a population as representative of a specific human activity or an object that bears significance to human activity. Iconic realism, then, involves the placement of an icon within the midst of a unique realistic setting, out of place for this particular icon, creating a static coalescence of the icon with the designated realism. Since both the icon and the realistic setting represent an aspect of the culture, the resulting friction between these two entities is the catalyst that generates enlightenment of a cultural dilemma. 

I used visual examples of iconic realism as the cover photos for my books, pictured below.
(Book #3 is forthcoming.)