Description:
3 page type written, double-spaced description and visual analysis of a work of art at The Palace of the Legion of Honor, the De Young Museum, or MOAD.
I do not want you to conduct research or read labels at the museum. Do not provide information about the artist, except for artist’s name, the title and date of the artwork. For this assignment, you need to bring paper and a pencil with you to the museum to make notes about your work of art. First, peruse the artwork and look for one that falls within the parameters of this course: Western Art from the 18th century-20th century and one that you want to spend time pondering. Then, describe what you see in detail. Second, note the subject, if any, materials employed, colors used, how space is constructed, the use of line, shapes, and shading. Think about how all these formal aspects of the work of art contribute to the overall mood or impact of the artwork. What emotions does the artwork evoke? Does it provoke any questions? Explain why. When you sit down to write the paper, first provide the artist’s full name, the title of the piece, which is italicized, and the date of the artwork. Do not assume I know what the artwork looks like. The first page should be a detailed description. Describe it so vividly that I can picture it in my mind. The second page should consist of analyzing the formal aspects of the piece such as the artist’s use of color, line, shape, space, subject matter, etc. Are the lines straight or undulating? Is the composition organized or chaotic? Are the colors bright, bold, pastel, or muted? Does the artist employ foreground, middleground, and background space?
What does the artist emphasize? What jumps out at you? Now, for your third page, think about how these various formal elements contribute to the overall mood of the piece and how it affects you on an emotional and intellectual level. What’s the impact of the color, the use of line, etc.?