Narrative Art

Narrative Art
is art that tells a story, either as a moment in an
ongoing story or as a sequence of events unfolding over
time. Some of the earliest evidence of human art
suggests that people told stories with pictures
Describe what you see in this piece of art.
Why do you think this art was created?
● What time period do you think this was created?
● Where do you think it was done?
● Why would this be important to those creating it and
looking at it at the time.
● Is it still important today?
Prehistoric art
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Located in caves mostly in the French mountains
Depicted abstract figure and animals
Thought to be pictures of normal day living
Now know to be used for ceremonial rituals done by
shamans
● Connecting social, supernatural, or religious rituals
Common Themes in Art Throughout History
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Death
Ceremony and Society
History and Memory
Dreams and Visions
Conflict and Resistance
Natural World
The Body
What Category do you think
these paintings fall under?
La Calavera de la Catrina
» José Guadalupe Posada (Mexican, 1852–
1913)
Kha and His Wife Meryt Before Osiris
(detail) from the Book of the Dead
» Unknown artist, Egypt
What Category do you think
these paintings fall under?
The Third of May, 1808
» Francisco de Goya y Lucientes (Spanish, 1746–
1828)
The Earth Spider Creating Monsters in
the Mansion of Minamoto no Yorimitsu
» Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797–1861)
What Category do you think
these pieces fall under?
Royal Crown (adènlà)
» Yoruba artist, Nigeria
Carnival au Cap Haitien
» Rony Leonidas (Haitian, b. 1946)
Court Dress
» British artist
Do all of these pieces tell a story?
In the following pieces the artist is telling a story of our
current day. Julie Green has over 600 individual pieces
dedicated to this story.
Next look ONLY at the pieces in the next 3 slides and write
down a brief paragraph on what you think the story is.
Julie Green
Do you have enough information?
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Title: The Last Supper
Bio:Julie Green was born in Japan in 1961. A professor at Oregon State
University, she lives in the Willamette Valley with her husband Clay
Lohmann and their small cat, Mini. Half of each year, usually winter
months, is spent on The Last Supper. In summer, Green paints personal
narratives. Her egg tempera is included in the 7th edition of A World of Art
published by Prentice Hall.
● Look at the following pieces. Do these help
you find the story?
The Artist Story
The Last Supper. 500 final meals of U.S death row inmates. This ongoing
installation project currently consists of 500 plates depicting the last meal
requests from death row inmates. Green started the series in the early 2000’s
and intends to paint 50 plates annually until the death penalty is abolished.
Green sees the plates as a way to humanize the individual inmates, and as a
commemoration for people unlikely to receive such recognition. Each plate tells
a very personal story of the individual inmates, while the sheer number of meal
requests in one room brings home the gravity of the subject matter.
How does your interpretation differ from the artist?
Do you like you version better?