The iconic (in)difference

In this article, I focus on the notion of iconic difference as a key to clarifying the specific logic of the image. After tracing its origin back to the distinction between linguistic acts and pictorial acts as formulated by Konrad Fiedler on the basis of Wilhelm von Humboldt’s theory of language, I concentrate on Max Imdahl’s and Gottfried Boehm’s multifarious ways of explaining the operative functions of the iconic difference in image criticism. Particular attention is given to both the connection and the distinction between icon and logos, as well as to the definition of the picture as a real irreality. In the last section, I eventually introduce the notion of “iconic indifference” as a crucial tool for understanding hyperrealistic pictures and immersive virtual environments.