Structure and Interpretation

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci

from Google Images

From my first book: 

However an audience incorporates and assimilates information gained from perceiving a work of art, each member of the audience will structure the information in order to create interpretation. The wide scope of interpretation evolves with the audience's perception of the art form, which characterizes the multiple associations within a singular work of art. 

For example, the interpretation of Mona Lisa's eyes from each subsequent century since her debut has rested on her ambivalent countenance. Although content remains fixed, the historicity of the audience determines the variety of interpretations of any work of art. (Lakatos 19)

Iconic Realism from the 19th Century to the 21st Century: Help to Devastated Areas

Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan)

Writers such as Sydney Owenson have had the opportunity to incorporate human experience in their art by tapping into the consciousness of humanity on multiple sensory levels. In her 1840 book, Woman and Her Master, Owenson makes the following observation: 

The acquirement of a physical elevation, in expanding the sphere of vision, and opening new and vast regions to the sense, obscures and diminishes the individual details comprehended in its grasp; so that intellectual and moral elevation, which has opened to the mind’s eye the wider fields of scientific research and of social combination, has caused the relative value of the smaller facts presented to its apprehension to be either overlooked, or mistaken. (WHM, p. 15)

Owenson’s writing demonstrates my semiotic theory of iconic realism as a means to enlighten her readers to the possibilities of making positive change happen with their own lives and possibly those within their communities by linking the sensory paths of consciousness with appropriate and positive action. 

Often, this can occur when one uses a particularly negative situation, places a positive force within that scene to bring attention to a need for transformation. Currently, this is evident in the area devastated by Hurricane Helene. Many grass-roots organizations have been actively engaged in helping the individuals in the Southeast United States. Where are the so-called beneficial government forces? Nowhere to be seen. Iconic realism at its best. Those who actually care can be seen helping, working, making positive change in the midst of devastation. I think Sydney Owenson would be pleased with the local, grass-roots organizations. 

Here is one such organization, bringing supplies to those in need:

https://www.theyallsquad.org/donate

Locals help each other in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. 

Photo from Google Images 

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

Thumbnail photo from YouTube video

While the Southeastern United States has been deluged with excessive amounts of water, there are other parts of the country that have been struggling with drought conditions. That seems to be  the way with natural climate patterns. 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 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 is the case with the Global Water Foundation. To bring awareness of water shortages throughout the world, this organization once 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 o the increasingly devastating diminution of potable water worldwide.  

Library of Congress Hawk and Iconic Realism

Photo from Library of Congress blog

Years ago, in the U. S. Library of Congress Reading Room of the Jefferson Building, a hawk winged its way around the dome's ceiling, encircling a painting entitled, Human Kindness. Sometimes, nature becomes a work of art, and this was one of those occasions. Members of the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia brought in two European starlings to tempt the hawk from its lofty perch. The minute one of the starlings moved its head, the hawk swooped down to attack, only to be captured by Linda Moore (in photo) and taken to its new home at the Conservancy. 

This scene illustrated iconic realism in that the hawk, an iconic bird of prey, was flying freely inside an environment unusual for this creature, bringing attention to the act of human kindness and human stewardship both in the painting which it encircled and the actions of the ornithologists.

Hellelil and Hildebrand, Meeting on the Turret Stairs by Frederic William Burton and Iconic Realism

Hellelil and Hildebrand, Meeting on the Turret Stairs, 
painting by Frederic William Burton

Frederic William Burton was born in County Clare, Ireland in 1816. In his painting, Hellelil and Hildebrand, Meeting on the Turret Stairs, Burton depicts the medieval Danish ballad of two lovers, Helleilil and Hildebrand, a princess and a soldier, who meet in secret for a final embrace.  Here, Burton illustrates iconic realism in this richly hued watercolor as he places Helleilil in iconic royal blue with her back facing the audience. He links the arm of the soldier, dressed in a foreshadowing red, with that of the princess. Both heads held low, Burton intertwines the two lovers on a turret staircase. We cannot see which way they are moving, almost as if time has been stilled in this embrace. We would normally not see this kind of meeting represented with such vivid hue, but with iconic realism, this blatant use of color brings awareness to the audience of a possible disconnect between the aristocracy and military. 

Sydney Owenson's, Florence Macarthy, and Iconic Realism through Patriotic Rhetoric

From my second book and presentation at the American Conference for Irish Studies: 

Sydney Owenson (Lady Morgan) embarks on another adventure of writing a national tale centered on the title character of her novel, Florence Macarthy, A National Tale. In 1818, Irish government is now firmly established as one emanating from British rule. The British have just lost another war with the Americans, and with that loss, have endured a reduction of pride. France is in the process of rebuilding its own government, so Ireland is in a position whereby discussions with the British may be able to develop in regaining possible individual rights within the law. Owenson seizes this opportunity to enlighten her reading audience with a renewed spirit of empowerment. However, she also needs to increase her book sales among those with the economic means, so she relies on her usual technique of expressing a revolutionary consciousness through her characters’ dialogues and actions.  

Owenson sees this as an opportunity to reach into the mind-sets of the Irish and the English through the linguistic arrangement within her tales that correlate with both the Irish and British readers. She has a current reading audience now, so she uses this forum of writing national tales to demonstrate the fortitude needed to realize revolutionary reform. In her 1818 novel, Owenson’s title character, Florence Macarthy, addresses a Marquis of Dunore and boldly states: 

I never will call you my lord, till the day of judgment; that is, till all’s proved; and your lordship, the great Marquis of Dunore (which you are at the blessed moment), taking possession of your castle; for fortune, though she be portrayed to stand upon a rolling stone, as being flighty by nature, yet for the most part she helpeth such as be of courageous mind, and valiant stomach. – Did not Thomyris the Scythian queen, and the collateral ancestor of the Macarthies, by her great spirit, with a few hundred followers, bate Cyrus intirely, with many thousands? And did not --, but I will not bother your lordship with needless tediousness, only just will defy the world, from this day out, to prove that I care a testoon for you. (F.M. p. 200)

Owenson clearly demonstrates a courageous stance in the lexicon she chooses her character to use here.  The bold statement, “I never will call you my lord,” emphasizes dissolution of the feudal state, yet it focuses on the necessity for individuals to state their claims of autonomy. Furthermore, she alludes to Thomyris, the Scythian queen, to authenticate her point of view, illustrating the strength within her bloodline. In her decorous conclusion of this passage, Owenson announces through her character, “I will not bother your lordship with needless tediousness…”, utilising the use of negative phraseology, ‘will not bother’ and “needless tediousness,” along with the equally negative, yet bold verb, ‘defy’ to express very politely her defiance juxtaposed with national pride. 

This novel embodies the determination of a patriot who refuses to allow any governing entity total control over its free-thinking populace. As she moves her characters through the novel, they become stronger in their fortitude to withstand any societal or political pressures, and they overcome any weaknesses through their united allegiance to the ability of each individual to express her or himself in a way that moves humanity forward to positive transformation.  Thus, Owenson transforms her own consciousness by releasing through her characters’ dialogue and actions any anxiety, which her contemporaries may inflict in their critique of her nationalistic penchant.