The text in this painting is written in French. It says, “This is not a pipe.” That seems paradoxical since the image above it is of a pipe. Can you think of a way to interpret the statement that makes it true? Can you think of one that would make it false?
How many different things could the word “this” refer to? When you interpret the “this” in those ways, is the painting saying something true or false?
The image of the pipe is very realistic. Would it change the way you view the painting if the pipe was obviously drawn, say as a young child would?
Why do you think the painting is titled, “The Treachery of Images”?
