The Art of James Dietz

A historical painting is only as good as the story it tells, and how convincingly it combines the people, their actions, costumes, surroundings and atmosphere in an appropriate composition.

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A good one uses all of these elements to illustrate the major story and perhaps a second subtext. Both are driven by how interesting the situation is that the artist is attempting to render. A great painting transcends its immediate story and strikes a deeper chord, one that hopefully evolves and changes as the viewer contemplates the art over time.