These fascinating works are little appreciated. Here are some clues as to their readings, including some links to contemporary novels about the dark side of the ballet – and more.
narrative
Meleager is burned to death by proxy, his sisters transformed to guinea hens. Then Achelous transforms nymphs into islands.
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.
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.
