Conclusion

This paper began by demonstrating how pictorial narrative art first came about with novel Neo-Assyrian artistic techniques. In order for imagery to qualify as effective propaganda, it must tell a self-contained realistic narrative that can be considered historical. This novel quality of historicity in art is what distinguishes the Nimrud reliefs, allowing them to reveal transmit messages in a way earlier works could not. Though commemorative art may be able to function as propaganda, it is undoubtedly of a lower form. The deceit is rather thinly veiled. By conflating historicity with political agenda, the realistic historical narratives in the Nimrud reliefs do far more in the way of subliminal messaging. Ashurnasirpal’s imperial ideology serves as the foundation for his effort to turn pictorial narrative art into effective propaganda. The historical context indicates that the Assyrian king was a politically savvy ruler who had clear intentions of territorial expansion and knew how they could be enhanced through propaganda. With the Nimrud reliefs, we see one of the earliest examples of organized, tactfully executed artistic representation as means for a political end. Furthermore, by making use of more complex forms of manipulation than merely deterrent propaganda, Ashurnasirpal exhibited a more nuanced understanding of the way people interpret art and information.