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Guidelines on all the components of the essay

Title

Consider offering a title that captures the essence of the analysis. You may actually want to think of your title after you write the essay and know what your focus and approach to the material are.

Introduction

The introduction should have a clear thesis statement, which should be the answer to the following questions:

1. Why do you think this exhibition is important for the audience you are addressing? To answer this question, consider the significance of Christianity and the significance of the naked body in the contemporary context in which your museum operates. You must situate your museum in a specific city in the US or another country, and you have to consider that context when discussing the exhibition highlights. Mention the country and city in your introduction.

2. What message is articulated in the exhibition as a whole through its four sections? You decide that by the way you discuss your four highlights. It might be helpful to write each section with a clear message in mind, and then compose the introduction with an overarching reference to the message of the exhibition.

Also specify the temporal and denominational focus of the exhibition, that is the Catholic tradition from the 11th-16th centuries.

Avoid simplistic generalizations about Christianity as a whole, as there are many cultural and temporal shifts within the Christian tradition. Do not claim that you can provide an overall view of the naked body in Christianity. On the contrary, you can shed some light on prominent trends within a period of visual production in the Catholic tradition.

Main body of the text

Divide the main body of the esay into four parts, each one discussing the relevant exhibition section covered (sexuality, motherhood, sacrifice, judgment) and the appropriate highlight piece for each. Note that the four topics are in chronological order: sexuality (Adam and Eve), motherhood (Mary –and possibly also Eve), sacrifice (Christ –and possibly also Mary and the martyrs), judgment (the end of time, Last Judgment). Try to retain this order on the site, as it will help trace possible interrelations between these themes and maintain the coherence of the exhibition. Consider such interrelations especially in the introduction and conclusion of the essay.

Section subtitles

Introduce each section with a subtitle that includes the name of the section, and identifies the highlight piece discussed (e.g. Motherhood: Nursing Madonna, known as “Madonna 3 Litta”,

attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1490, tempera on wood, 17 x13 in., Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.)

Fully identify the highlight pieces in the section subtitles. Whether the highlights are class material or works from other sources, the requirements remain the same:  identify them fully as in the above example. Mention subject (e.g. nursing Madonna), specific name or title (if applicable, e.g. Madonna Litta), artist (if known, or “unknown artist” if there is no attribution), date, material, dimensions, current location, and original location (if known or if different from the current location). If you choose a work which is not fully identified in this way in the PowerPoint or reading material, you will have to research the information online, and if you are unable to find some details, like dimensions or material, state that in the relevant section-subtitle with the description of your highlight (dimensions are often omitted from readings and can be hard to find online, which is why I sometimes omit them in the PowerPoints!)

Remember that the dimensions are an important aspect of a work’s impact and function, so consider them in your discussion (e.g. altarpiece: viewed by a large number of people from a distance, and up close by the clergy; private devotional image: viewed up close by members of a family.)

Section content

◦ Start each section by explaining why the relevant topic is important in Christian tradition and how it relates to its socio-cultural context. Then explain how your highlight piece illuminates Christian attitudes on the topic.

◦ Present a detailed visual analysis of each highlight piece in relation to the topic you are discussing.

◦ Consider the original context of each piece (e.g. original location and function -an altarpiece, or an image of private devotion, etc.) Consider how that original context and function relate to the message of the piece.

◦ The focus should remain on your four highlight pieces, even if you choose to mention comparative material (other images) to strengthen your discussion.

Cite the sources (class readings or additional material you find—no need to cite class PowerPoints or lectures).

The essay must have the four sections specified above and one highlight for each (for a total of four, closely-analyzed works). Some of the highlights might address more than one topic, but  find a way to integrate them in the exhibition without merging two sections together or reducing the number of highlights discussed. For example, Carlo da Camerino’s panel with the Madonna of Humility and the Temptation of Eve addresses both sexuality and motherhood. If you want to use it, I suggest you select it as the highlight of your motherhood section (and explain in your analysis how it relates to both sexuality and motherhood). Choose another work as highlight of the sexuality section, which will also help introduce your discussion of Carlo’s work in the motherhood section. 

Conclusion

Offer a concluding remark that binds together the four sections of your exhibition and offers a culminating observation about the goal of the exhibition. Ideally, your conclusion should not be just a repetition of the thesis statement you made in the introduction, but it should enrich that statement with insights that result from the main body of your essay. Consider again the location of the exhibition (the culture and concerns of the local community): perhaps your conclusion can emphasize, among other things, why the theme of this exhibition as you discussed it through its four topics could be of interest and significance for people in this local community.

Illustrations

Include images of your four highlights, captioned appropriately, on the site. The captions do not count towards the word count. Use ArtStor to locate images. For help accessing ArtStor, click here.

Bibliography

Include full references to all the sources you have used, on an accompanying web page (they do not count towards the word count).