How Artists Tell Entire Stories Without Using a Single Word

Narrative art is a powerful form of artistic expression that tells a story, either by depicting a single moment within an ongoing narrative or by illustrating a sequence of events unfolding over time. In narrative art, the artist makes deliberate choices about how to portray the story, represent space, and shape time within the artwork itself. This broad definition means that a significant portion of art can be considered narrative, though landscapes

and portraits typically do not meet the criteria unless the artist's intention is specifically narrative. Narratives in art occur in a defined space and unfold over time, making the artist's decisions about presentation crucial to the viewer's understanding.

Diverse Approaches to Visual Storytelling

Narrative art can be categorized into various types, often referred to as modes or styles. An artwork is not limited to a single type; it may feature an overarching narrative type while also containing portions that depict separate narrative styles. These types offer different ways for artists to convey sequential or simultaneous events.

One type is **simultaneous narrative**, which often has little visually discernible organization to those unfamiliar with its purpose. It can focus on geometric or abstract designs, as well as the placement of items within the artwork, emphasizing repeatable patterns, redundant systems, and dualities. In contrast, a **monoscenic narrative** represents a single, easily identifiable scene of significant importance within the story. There is no repetition of characters, and only one action takes place. Many artworks not typically considered narrative could fit this definition. For example, the ancient Greek vase-painter Exekias was renowned for capturing critical story points in simple, monoscenic illustrations, such as his amphora depicting Achilles killing Penthesilea, a moment where they are said to fall in love.

Continuous and Synoptic Narratives

A **continuous narrative** illustrates multiple scenes of a story within a single frame, without any physical dividers. The sequence of events is defined by the reuse of the main character or characters, emphasizing changes in movement and state as indicators of scene or phase shifts. Trajan's Column is a prime example, depicting the Dacian Wars as a continuous flow of events without vertical lines. The Bayeux Tapestry, though separated by registers, also functions as a continuous narrative, telling the story of the Norman invasion of England in 1066 from a partisan Norman perspective. If its sections were placed side-by-side without dividers, it would form a seamless continuous narrative.

A **synoptic narrative** depicts a single scene where characters are portrayed multiple times within a frame to convey multiple actions. This can make the sequence of events unclear without prior knowledge of the story. Synoptic narratives often provide visual cues for sequence, but can still be challenging to decipher. An instance is a medallion from the stupa at Amaravati, which tells the story of Buddha's previous birth as the elephant Chaddanta. The central decorative carving serves as a visual cue for a circular reading pattern, but otherwise, the artist provides minimal indication of the order of the seven depicted episodes.

Panoramic, Progressive, and Sequential Narratives

A **panoramic (or panoptic) narrative** depicts multiple scenes and actions without repeating characters. These actions may be sequential or represent simultaneous events during an occurrence. The north frieze of the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi, illustrating a battle between Olympic gods and giants, is an example. Multiple narratives unfold simultaneously, with each combatant engaged in varying scenes, such as Ares stepping over a dead giant downed by Athena, indicating progression.

**Progressive narrative** portrays a single scene without repeating characters, but multiple actions occur to convey the passing of time. It is not a group of simultaneous events but a sequence dependent on its location, compacting present and future actions into one image. Finally, a **sequential narrative** is similar to a continuous narrative but uses enframement to develop temporal progression. Each scene and action is represented within its own frame as a distinct unit, making it the typical narrative style found in comics. These diverse narrative art forms demonstrate the rich and varied ways artists have visually communicated stories across history and cultures.