The denotation of this image looks like a painting of a man and a woman sitting around a dinner table. Spotlight lighting is used to make them stand out in the centre of the image, whilst the surrounding edges are in shadow. There are four seats around the table - two being vacant, a chandelier, tableware, the usual furniture seen in a domestic household (i.e. a cabinet and picture frames), and there is a small kitchen situated behind where the lady is sitting.
Connotation
This image could connote how people's lives can be different to the persona which they reveal on the surface, as in someone could be pretending to be happy and sociable amongst friends, but at home it is in fact a different story as the persona does not need to be shown to the family members who know what you are going through. It could also connate how a person's home reflects on their personality.
Enigma
A few questions which could be asked are:
Why do the couple look so sad?
Why are two of the seats vacant?
Why is the surrounding area so dark?
Why are they sitting around a dining table when there is in fact no food on their plates?
Why is no one serving the food?
Notion of Codes
Their facial expressions of them frowning represent sadness, or it might possibly be depression, and they are not regarding each other so it is as if they are just sitting in silence which usually happens when someone has a lot of things on their mind. Their posture, especially the male's, seems very static which signifies tension between the two. Light is a signifier usually used to signify happiness/warmth, but in this instance I think the lighting is only used so we can see the scenery clearer when in fact the whole room could be plunged into complete darkness. The darkness is a reflection of the mood and relationship between the man and woman - cold, tense, and probably hostile.
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