Abstract: In an image processing system for use in processing a sequence of image signals carrying a moving image, the image signal sequence is divided into a sequence of partial image signals each of which carries a scene subsequence defined by scene changes. A background signal generator determines a background portion of the moving image by monitoring a whole of each partial image signal and produces a background signal. The background signal is coded by a coder prior to a sequence of error signals resulting from predictive coding of each partial signal. During prediction of the background signal, the error signals may be rendered to zero in the coder. The background signal may be either determined at every picture element or at every block composed of a plurality of picture elements.