Going by the definition, narrative art is an art form where the artist tries to convey a story with the help of visuals in their paintings. These descriptions are highly figurative because the traditional visual arts do not have a temporal dimension needed for actual storytelling. This type of art is most commonly used in paintings and sculptures, as they are the most common classical art forms. Instead of reading out word-by-word text, the viewer needs only to look at the painting before them and to “read” the image. We are aware that there is an apparent difference between verbal narratives and the ones told by pictures. This difference helps us understand the alleged mediating role of art in our past (and present, as well).

History of Narrative Painting

Art has been a part of human existence since the very beginning of human existence. And since the existence of paintings, narratives have been in most of the time. It is only in the 20^th century that narrative artworks become abstract, which means they don’t contain anything that resembles figures or objects from the real world. Before this phase artists took narrative paintings as a tool to portray their work. 

Art movements like Cubism, which broke forms into geometric pieces, and Abstract Expressionism, which explored feelings and emotions through colors and brushstrokes, moved away from the narrative. There were many types of Modern art that were not narrative in nature. Art was used as a tool to tell stories and preserve tales of battles, love, and epic adventures. Modern-day artists might work in different styles, but those narrative paintings cannot be abolished completely. 

Conclusion

The list of artists whose narrative artworks become famous is never-ending. Though we have listed a few are Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, MF Husain, etc. Putting all names down in a list is a tough task so we are naming a few who are more of a household name. Each MF Hussain painting is known for executing bold, vibrantly colored narrative paintings in a modified Cubist style.