Stories in Art
Orazio Gentileschi
David Slaying Goliath, 1607-9
National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
I consider myself a weekend art historian, or perhaps just a nerdy art enthusiast with an internet connection. I’m writing a series of articles on paintings that tell stories, drawing from my Stories in Art project (see below). This series began in December 2012 with an article about Adam and Eve, and I’m continuing chronologically through the Old Testament stories. Please click on the links below to read my articles.
Table of Contents:
- Adam and Eve:
A story about the shame of nudity - Cain and Abel, and the sons of Noah:
Stories about brothers, and more shameful nudity - Lot and his Daughters:
A story that couldn’t get any creepier, or could it?
- Abraham and Hagar:
Ensuring domestic tranquility - Abraham and Isaac
The ultimate sacrifice
- and coming soon
Rebekah’s generosity
About Stories in Art:
Stories in Art is a searchable database of paintings and sculptures that tell ancient stories. I created this project as a means to explore works of art that are linked by the stories they depict, and to illuminate the work of art by retelling the story. Similarities and differences become apparent as we compare depictions of the same story by several artists. It is my hope that the visitor will ‘discover’ a new painting by its connection to a familiar scene, and that the visitor will learn simply by looking, comparing and contrasting. Please explore Stories in Art by clicking here.
Comments, questions and feedback:
I welcome all comments, questions and feedback on my articles. Please feel free to contact me at beckydimattia@gmail.com, especially if you have found a typo or an inaccuracy. Please note: I’m not a professional art historian or a bible scholar. I write from my own research and observations, and I try to be fair and accurate.
