ABSTRACT
On the classic account, titles are not names. This is because proper names, at least according to the majority view in the philosophy of language, are merely labels which facilitate reference to something; they’re more like surface-level properties than deep parts of their bearers. Some titles—true titles —are given by the artist. These titles are always integral parts of their associated artworks and thus cannot be changed without altering the work. Other titles are given by collectors, dealers and other middlemen for the purposes of selling the work. These are merely descriptive titles; they are interpretations of the work, nothing more. Titles typically have descriptive content which helps people to focus our attention on particular parts of the work to be interpreted. This focus on a title’s role in guiding interpretation has led some to take a harder line against the idea that retitling can alter an artwork, independently of the issue of whether titles are names.
