Overview
The art history analysis paper will assess your knowledge of great works of Western art and culture and, in particular, your ability to think critically and contextually about the arts. Through comparing and contrasting two pieces of art, you will evaluate how two works with similar themes or subject matter can express very different styles, contexts, and cultural meanings. In the art history analysis paper, you will communicate ideas regarding Western art and culture from antiquity through the Renaissance, using the specialized vocabulary explored within the fine arts and humanities content learned throughout the course. While the primary goal of this paper is not research, you are strongly encouraged to consult a few quality research sources to assist you in identifying your works and analyze their styles and historical contexts.
Please see the Module Resources folder for suggestions on which sources to consult.
This assessment will assess your mastery with respect to the following course outcomes:
- Obtain knowledge of great works of Western art and culture (art, architecture, music)
- Be able to analyze works of art in terms of subject matter and style
- Be able to communicate ideas about art using the appropriate vocabulary in both written and oral formats
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to incorporate feedback and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Module Three and Module Five. The final submission will be submitted in Module Seven.
You will select two different works of art from two different time periods or style movements from the ancient through the Renaissance periods. The two works should have some common elements (such as subject matter, theme, or visual structure). Please include at least one image of each work on the first page of your paper, before you start writing your introduction. If possible, provide multiple images of your chosen pieces (from websites and online sources), with different angles or views. In the paper, you will address how the style, theme, and meanings of a work of art relate to its various contexts (historical, social, political, philosophical, artistic, etc.). You will also examine the ways in which the style of an artwork affects the way it looks; and address how each piece expresses the visual features, formal elements, and thematic concerns of its particular style movement.
The following critical elements must be included and addressed:
Five Simple Steps
I. Craft an introduction that gives your reader the WHAT and the WHY
a. What? What are you comparing? What are you contrasting? Your introduction will include information about both works, indicating as fully as possible the following:
- Identify the name of the artist and name or title of each of the works of art you have selected (keep in mind that these pieces need to be from two different time or style periods covered in this course).
- Identify the style movement or period of time and the closest date for each work of art selected for the analysis paper.
- Identify the location and origin of the selected works of art you have chosen to analyze.
b. Why? Defend your chosen topic by explaining why the two pieces should be compared (in terms of their significance to the time period, the cultural and historical context of the work(s), or the importance of the works to the development of art). What do you hope your readers will gain through your comparison?
II. Include a brief background and analysis of the works
In the body of your paper, as you compare and contrast the works, make sure to provide the following information for each work of art:
a. How does this work relate to its style movement and historical context?
b. How does the piece express the visual and thematic features of its style period?
c. Support your ideas with your objective observations on the work and what it reveals about the style movement and time period in which it was created.
III. Compare and contrast the works
a. Identify the visual similarities and differences between the two works.
b. Explain why they are important and how they relate to the style movements of the pieces. This section should expand and refine what you included in your structured draft (Milestone Two). Your analysis should reflect further understanding of key course concepts and language used in the analysis of art history and the humanities.
IV. Include a brief reflection on your study of the humanities through your analysis
a. How does your analysis reflect your own study of the humanities? What did you learn about yourself, other cultures, and other time periods through the study of these artistic artifacts?
b. How can the study of visual art, music, architecture, and other art forms help you in your own professional field or in your personal life? What is the value of humanities to you?
V. Sign off with a strong conclusion
Use your conclusion to revisit what you have illustrated throughout your paper about the significance of your analysis and make a strong statement that emphasizes your main thesis and sums up your response to these two works.