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A Critical Examination of the Foundational Principles and Conceptual Boundaries of Image-Based Narrative

Author(s)

Shijin Cui*

Affiliation(s)

School of Innovation, Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Wuhan, Hubei, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

Visual images serve as historical and cultural narratives rendered through a visible, symbolic mode of representation. Research on visual imagery has moved beyond the limitations of textual discourse, enabling access to material traces of the past and evoking affective resonances with historical experiences. Building upon foundational theoretical contributions by art and cultural historians, even seemingly mundane visual artifacts convey the continuity and coexistence of human societies across time. As the scope and methodologies of visual narration expand—shaped by contemporary intellectual and technological currents—this field increasingly fosters interdisciplinary convergence among art history, cultural history, and visual studies. In today’s era of rapid digital and multimedia advancement, such scholarship also engages critically with the social construction of visual knowledge.

Keywords

Visual Arts; Iconography; Neo-Iconography; Art-Historical Research; Digital Media; Image Studies

References

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