Relation of Word to Image
The relation of word to image is the origin of writing. A visual symbol or icon, that carries with it an association with a word, is called a pictograph. The pictograph is rather like what today we might term a “logo” which a designer creates to give a specific “identity” to some product. The Mohenjodaro seals are another example of a pictograph. From ancient times until the present day some artists, particularly in the Far East, use personal handcrafted seals as a way of “signing” their creations.
Letters for Tagore had a character of their own. They were in a way his “signature”, representing his unique personality.
Seals have often shown the way to linking the word to an image. A seal cannot be just simply de-coded as a system like a word composed by letters of the alphabet. A seal is...