The Importance of Context

On page 166 of our textbook, Stewart discusses context. She talks about how different works of art viewed in one context or another can drastically alter how the viewer perceives them. She gives the example of Winston Churchill giving the "V for Victory" sign in a picture. This hand gesture (generally) does not mean "V for Victory" anymore, but rather is a symbol for peace or, more simply, a way to represent the number two.
The importance of context is something that has always been smashed into my brain by my dad ever since I was little. He always wanted me to know how important it was. However, I never really thought about how important it is in art. Art is something that can have an infinite amount of meanings, depending on who the viewer is. By adding context to a picture, you can lessen those meanings and get closer to the artist's intended meaning of the picture.
Here are some examples from Google:

When Googling "V for Victory"

When Googling "Peace"

When Googling "Two"

To someone who did not know what this symbol meant, or if they only knew one of the meanings, any picture they saw of this gesture would only mean one thing to them. But with context, you get a deeper as well as more accurate meaning to the picture. Context is important!