René Magritte, The Treason of Images, 1929. Oil on canvas, 21-1/2 x 28 1/2 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Given the title of Magritte's painting, if the image of a pipe were accompanied simply by the word "pipe," it would be tantamount to an act of treachery. Our visual culture is full of images that work with this fundamental deception: a representation suggests qualities that the think itself may not possess. Consider, for instance, the log of the McDonald's restaurant chain, the so-called "Golden Arches." What might the company meant to communicate with this logo? Does it influence your ideas about the food? Can you think of other images in our visual culture the meaning of which we too easily accept without examining? A good place to look might be the apps on your phone.

René Magritte, The Treason of Images, 1929. Oil on canvas, 21-1/2 x 28 1/2 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Given the title of Magritte's painting, if the image of a pipe were accompanied simply by the word "pipe," it would be tantamount to an act of treachery. Our visual culture is full of images that work with this fundamental deception: a representation suggests qualities that the think itself may not possess. Consider, for instance, the log of the McDonald's restaurant chain, the so-called "Golden Arches." What might the company meant to communicate with this logo? Does it influence your ideas about the food? Can you think of other images in our visual culture the meaning of which we too easily accept without examining? A good place to look might be the apps on your phone.