Is not the most erotic part of the body wherever the clothing affords a glimpse?
Roland BarthesRead
As a language, Garbo's singularity was of the order of the concept, that of Audrey Hepburn is of the order of the substance; the face of Garbo is an Idea, that of Hepburn, an Event.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote contrasts the artistic essence of two iconic actresses, Garbo and Hepburn, highlighting their differing impacts on film and culture.
In this quote, Roland Barthes distinguishes between the abstract qualities associated with Greta Garbo and the tangible presence of Audrey Hepburn. Garbo represents an idealized, conceptual approach to femininity and mystique, whereas Hepburn embodies a significant moment or event that resonates with audiences. This suggests that Garbo's allure is rooted in an idea or concept, while Hepburn's influence stems from her active engagement in the cinematic world, marking significant moments in film history.
Themes
GarboHepburnFilmArtBeautyConceptEvent
In practice
Example use cases
In a film studies class discussing the contributions of female icons to cinema.
More from Roland Barthes
All quotes →If I acknowledge my dependency, I do so because for me it is a means of signifying my demand: in the realm of love, futility is not a "weakness" or an "absurdity": it is a strong sign: the more futile, the more it signifies and the more it asserts itself as strength.)
Roland BarthesRead
The gesture of the amorous embrace seems to fulfill, for a time, the subject's dream of total union with the loved being: The longing for consummation with the other.
Roland BarthesRead
The text is a tissue of quotations drawn from the innumerable centres of culture.
Roland BarthesRead
I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a whole population which appropriates them as a purely magical object.
Roland BarthesRead
All those young photographers who are at work in the world, determined upon the capture of actuality, do not know that they are agents of Death.
Roland BarthesRead
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The artist is a strange being. I think it's safe to say that a real artist is conscious of having a personal singularity that is partly a blessing and partly a curse. An artist enjoys and suffers from isolation. As solitude, isolation can nurture. It can also destroy.
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Do not neglect your music. It will be a companion which will sweeten many hours of life to you.
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I've always had a profound conviction that great music is about joy, even in the face of tragedy.
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