Évocation

Évocation is a term derived from the Latin evocare, meaning "to call forth." It denotes the act of bringing something to mind or summoning an entity, quality, image, memory, or spirit. The word is used across disciplines with related but distinct senses, from literary and artistic technique to religious ritual and psychological processes.

In literature and the arts, évocation describes techniques that suggest or recreate moods, atmospheres, memories, or presences without explicit depiction. Writers, filmmakers, and musicians often use evocative images, sounds, and structures to elicit emotional responses and associations in an audience. Notable examples include the evocation of memory in Marcel Proust’s work or the atmospheric evocations common in film noir.

In psychology, évocation refers to the mental process of recalling or re-experiencing past events and sensations. It is studied in memory research, where the fidelity, triggers, and emotional coloration of recalled material are examined.

In religious and esoteric contexts, évocation denotes ritual practices intended to summon or communicate with spiritual beings. It is often contrasted with invocation, which typically implies calling a deity into oneself, whereas évocation seeks to call an external entity forth.

The term also appears in varied institutional and administrative uses, where it can mean the transfer or taking up of a matter by a different authority. Across uses, évocation emphasizes the act of calling something into perceptual or procedural presence.