Overview
Whether popular stories from the Christian Bible, the written word of poetry and novels, or even renderings of scenes from plays and performances, the works on view in this exhibition were significant not only in the period they were created but also today. Their longevity is two-fold: a combination of popular subject matter with easily-recognizable symbols and characters successfully tell a story while building a connection with their audience.
Above: Thomas Hart Benton (American, 1889–1975), Huck Finn, 1936, from The Missouri State Capitol Mural Series, lithograph on paper, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Luther Hill in memory of William Covington, 1969.13, © 2020 T.H. Benton and R.P. Benton Testamentary Trusts/UMB Bank Trustee/Licensed by ARS, New York, NY
A playful twist on the phrase “works on paper,” this exhibition contains works from the Museum’s permanent collection that demonstrate how the content of a work, its “story,” can derive from any number of literary sources and inspire an artist’s imagination.
Organizer
Organized by the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Montgomery, Alabama.
Sponsor
This exhibition was made possible in part by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
Gallery
