Image Explication

Background

First Impressions

You are Here

Participants

Relationships

My Interpretation

Image Analysis

Howling silence may seem oxy-moronic at first, but upon further reflection, it becomes apparent that silence does in fact howl in a way. For example, whenever I leave a loud room, or when things suddenly get quiet, the absence of sound seems to ring in my ears.

There is a marked difference in the lighting (or lack thereof) in the painting. The woman is bathed in a white light and the incense censers give off a bluish-white smoke; whereas, the demons are dark and shadowy, seeming to form the background against which the woman and the censures stand-out. However, the title of the painting is not "The Warrior Woman" or anything that even signifies her role in the painting, other than the subject that is being acted upon by the howling silence. Therefore, she seems to be almost expendable or replaceable. This is interesting too, in light of the fact that most people would probably react most to the scantily clad woman. Perhaps that was what the artist was trying to accomplish; by not placing the woman in the center of the painting or naming the painting after her, but still having her lighted he took enough of the emphasis off of her to give the rest of the painting its due attention.

Another thing the lighting serves to do is to give the impression that the artist has superimposed the figure of the warrior onto the backdrop of her mind. We are seeing through her mind, but we are also seeing her as she really is. This realistic representation of her is layered on top of what her mind's eye sees, and that is the finished product is the painting we see before us.

As Barthes pointed out, the title directs readers, limits the imagination and guides them to what the artist/photographer wanted them to see. (Barthes, Image, Music, Text, NY: Hill & Wang, 1977.) Had the image not been titled "The Howls of Silence", viewers could have come up with many different interpretations. People with a more religious or mystical background may have interpreted it as a priestess conjuring up demons to empower the weapons she carried. People with a more warrior-like background may have interpreted it as a warrior conjuring demons to either attack the enemy or to aid her in her battle.

All pictures copyrighted by Luis Royo.

Thank you, Jonathan, for keeping me sane... I never could have done it without you!