This study compares humans and AI in recreating a three-panel Nancy cartoon. Humans, with basic art training, excelled in creating coherent visual narratives, while AI, despite impressive artistic replication, struggled with storytelling. The results highlight human superiority in transforming instructions into meaningful stories.

This paper introduces a multidimensional similarity search tool, Motif-Match, for digital art history, emphasizing similarity as multi-dimensional, cumulative, and situational. Through participatory design and user evaluation with 39 participants, we explore the roles of control and transparency, offering insights into balancing technical innovation with the nuanced needs of humanities research.