Impact of the Visual and the Written - Essay Example

The Egyptians were the earliest people to invent pictorial forms of expression (hieroglyphs). These hieroglyphs helped translate complex human expressions into symbols, which had a more defined meaning for each symbol. A suitable sequencing of such symbols thus became the earliest form of communicable written language. Society progressed, and so did this language. The system of symbols gave birth to the system of letters (or alphabets), and a combination of such letters (words) gave rise to an increasing number of possibilities of expression. Later, with the integration of the societies, it became necessary to extend the reach of this written expression by making it portable. Initial forms of portable writings, such as clay or stone tablets, gave way too easily portable papyrus texts. With the advent of inventions like the printing press, and the development of paper technology, the written word acquired a universal reach through books, newspapers, and other media, and became a firmly established form of communication and expression.
However, human perception and expression are neither bound by the written word, nor by logic. The flights of the human mind continue to depend on imagery and the interpretation of its innumerable shades. This is emphasized by the strong presence of visual depictions, such as sketches and paintings of portraits, ceremonies, and other events like wars, alongside the written text, since ages. As the paintings and sketches were usually commissioned works, they had an element of glorification of reality.
During the later half of the nineteenth century, the essential fabric of society was undergoing vast changes due to innovations in communication technology, and the resultant progress in industrial and economic activity. Therefore the invention of the photograph during the same period found an instant appeal with the masses. It could stir up emotions like never before, because of its visual projection of reality. Unlike sketches and paintings, it projected society in all its manifestations, the good, the bad, and the ugly. It could create the same impact on the literate masses and the ‘not so literate’. Since language was not a barrier, it had a universal reach. Gradually, it became possible to transmit the photographs all over the world, at comparatively lower costs, giving it a universal appeal. Through the concept of photojournalism ushered in 1856, people got a feel of the real action, when they viewed pictures of war, grand ceremonies, accidents, and other important events from all over the world, sitting right in their homes. No amount of written matter could have produced the same impact on their psyche, as the visual one created by the photograph. Hence it would be apt to state that “Photographs may have placed greater importance on the visual over the written. A picture, after all, is worth a thousand words”.
Nevertheless, just as a masterpiece of painting still needs a title in words, the visual impact of a photograph, though superior, is greatly enhanced, if it is supported by written words.

The spread of the Photograph and the rise of consumerism:
The nineteenth century saw a tremendous change in the lifestyles of people. The industrial and technological revolution spread to distant and remote places, facilitated by railways and other transport systems, to tap diverse resources. During the same period, a tradition of holding expositions came about, starting with the Crystal palace exposition in London, in 1851, and climaxing in the Universal exposition in Paris in the year 1900. The primary objective of these expositions was to advertise new technologies and products for the expansion of businesses. This led to further growth of the industry and businesses, and helped in faster generation and distribution of wealth, resulting in the rise of affluence of the middle class. This round of progress of the industrialized societies such as those in the US and Europe prompted the industries to focus on the manufacture of products of mass consumption, as needed by the neo-rich class. The emergence of large department stores increased the exposure of consumer products to the masses who were encouraged to handle and inspect these products without a commitment to purchase. Within a few decades, the emphasis of the expositions too shifted from knowledge-based industrial machines to enjoyment-based consumer merchandise. The concurrent development in the technology of the photograph was a boon to the advertisers of consumer products. Photography made it possible for people to see, and desire things they had never imagined. The photograph presented its referent as both astonishingly available, in all its detail, but also utterly distant. This combination made photography a perfect vehicle for the arousal and perpetuation of desire. Photography also has a tendency to idealize. This characteristic was cleverly employed by every business, by inviting celebrities from various fields like cinema, sports, and fashion shows, to promote their products through visual media such as photographs. By being associated with idealization, photography demonstrated its capacity to bestow value on what it captured and to present what it captured as desirable. Therefore the rise of consumerism and the spread of photography became closely linked partners since their evolution in the nineteenth century, and have remained as such to date. Read More