A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image. The encoding method includes: deciding whether pixel values of a first block of an image are identical to pixel values of a second block of the image that is encoded prior to the first block in a current slice of the image, and determining whether to encode the first block in a first mode according to the deciding; and selectively encoding the first block in the first mode based on the determining, wherein the first mode is a mode for encoding information representing that the first block is encoded in the first mode, instead of encoding the pixel values of the first block, when the first block is identical or similar to the second block.