The distinction between words and pictures is approached via Nelson Goodman's theories about symbol systems and notations, denotation and exemplification. It is argued that his attempt to draw a purely syntactic distinction fails. An attempt is made to reconcile Goodman with a notion of pictures as based on interest-relative structure-mappings. Comparisons are drawn between e.g. Goodman's concept of "repleteness' and the 'systematicity" of structural mappings.