Naming and comprehension are intrinsically linked. Titles appear to be a key to understanding art. Despite the inherent interplay of text and image, titles have become an indispensable means for artists and viewers to define the meaning of artworks.
Throughout the history of art production, and particularly in modern Western art, titles have been crucial. Artworks are often given descriptive titles that explain their creation, context, or narrative. Consider Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa or his Lady with an Ermine. Such titles become authoritative. In museum and gallery displays, they serve to focus attention, and viewers often spend considerable time reading titles or accompanying wall texts, which are distinct from the artwork itself.
While it is difficult to determine if this is a purely modern phenomenon, during the Renaissance, written text became a fashionable complement to art. Artists began using simple words or short phrases as titles. For instance, Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait (1434) and Rogier van der Weyden's Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin (c. 1435–1440) are works whose titles are essential for understanding, demonstrating that even in a world focused on ideal beauty, the narrative remained important. Other examples include Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (c. 1665), Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Marat (1793), and Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People (1830). By the 19th century, Impressionist artists had introduced titles into the art market, where they served for identification and critical review rather than just explanation.
Titles can function in various ways, from straightforward descriptions to open interpretations. There is a broad spectrum of interaction between given titles and images. Artists like Édouard Manet often employed simple, objective titles (e.g., Olympia, Déjeuner sur l'herbe), a practice influenced by the Realist movement. Paul Cézanne, on the other hand, used more abstract titles such as Still Life with Apples. Pablo Picasso's titles could be purely descriptive, as in Five Nudes, or evoke emotion, like The Weeping Woman. Marcel Duchamp's titles were often ironic or played on words, such as Fountain or L.H.O.O.Q. These "readymade" titles transformed everyday objects into art. Duchamp also explored the concept of synesthesia, where different senses could be perceived as one. The question "Why call it a fountain?" underscores his challenge to the definition of art itself.
The Mona Lisa (1500–1507) is arguably the world's most famous painting. Its enduring fame might stem from its artistic mastery, enigmatic smile, and its place in history.
The 20th century further complicated the use of titles. Artists like Robert Rauschenberg used provocative titles for his combines, such as Bed (1955) and Monogram (1955–1959). Andy Warhol's Pop Art titles, such as Brillo Boxes or Campbell's Soup Cans, highlighted mundane everyday objects. In Surrealism, titles were often used to attract viewers, create mystery, and evoke emotions, as seen in René Magritte's The Treachery of Images ("This is not a pipe"). Perhaps the most famous example of a title challenging the notion of a masterpiece is Marcel Duchamp's L.H.O.O.Q. (1919), a postcard of the Mona Lisa with a mustache drawn on it. Jackson Pollock's Number 1A, 1948 (1948) emphasizes process over representation. The function of titles thus evolved from simple explanations to a form of creative expression itself.
In contemporary art, titles have become more than mere identifiers; they are an integral part of the artwork's identity and interpretation. They can be suggestive, enigmatic, or overtly political, adding layers of meaning that invite viewers to engage with the artist's intent and context. Artists like Willem de Kooning, in his many abstract and expressive paintings like Excavation (1950), allowed his agitated brushstrokes to represent abstract or human forms, inviting the viewer to create their own interpretations. Mark Rothko, on the other hand, preferred numerical or color-based titles, focusing on the pure visual experience. Viewers are now drawn to the formal and conceptual characteristics of art, as exemplified by Damien Hirst's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991). Titles have become a universal expectation, and artists can choose to play with them, engaging in a new visual game that offers a principled narrative or a way to avoid literal interpretation.
