# pictures (visual)

a collection of visual marks in an arrangement on a surface

- Computed level: L8 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: visual  ·  Arena: pictures

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [marks](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-marks.visual), [arrangement](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-arrangement.spatial), [surface](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-surface.exterior), [groups](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-groups.collection), [collection](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-collection.group), [visual](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-visual.perceptual)

**Through:** the visual marks are grouped together on a surface, forming a spatial arrangement perceived as a unified image.

**Novel properties:**
- unified visual image
- perceptual coherence
- representational structure

## Examples
- The Lascaux cave paintings in France, made 17,000 years ago, still show animals in ochre and charcoal on limestone walls. *(archaeology)*
- The 2021 James Webb Space Telescope deployed a gold-coated beryllium mirror array to capture infrared light from early galaxies. *(astronomy)*
- The New York Times print edition arranges photographic prints and ink marks on newsprint each morning at distribution centers. *(publishing)*

## Used by
- [pics](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pics.visual) (L14)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pictures.visual*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pictures.visual.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*