Later narrative paintings may have drawn on new detective fiction and the vogue for problems paintings, which invited the viewer to invent their own story.
narrative
For his first decade as a professional artist, he painted narrative works and portraits. Here are some of his little-known narrative paintings.
A group of popular mythical heroes set out to kill a fearsome wild boar sent by Diana in vengeance. It turns into farcical tragedy, and some superb paintings.
A succinct summary of the biography of Degas, told with the aid of 12 of his key works, from history painting to the late landscapes.
A brilliant Spanish master, who painted the early history of the Spanish nation, fine watercolours, and daring oil sketches.
The popular story told concisely by Ovid, and painted brilliantly by van Dyck, Leighton, Rubens, Brueghel, and others.
A listing of over 50 articles, and a detailed index of the topics covered in them, from adornments to zoom.
An important painting in its social context by Watts, tackling the evils of Victorian Britain, 2 from Moreau, and one of only 3 surviving paintings by a French history painter.
One of Ovid’s best stories of a tragic end to a blissful marriage, with superb paintings by Veronese, Poussin, Rubens, and others.
An unusual myth told vividly by Ovid, which appears never to have been painted. But there are some fine engravings, and a marvellous watercolour by Blake.
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