Visual Analysis

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Visual Analysis

Definition of genre

Visual analysis is the basic unit of art historical writing. Sources as varied as art magazines,

scholarly books, and undergraduate research papers rely on concise and detailed visual analyses.

You may encounter a visual analysis as an assignment itself; or you may write one as part of a

longer research paper.

The purpose of a visual analysis is to recognize and understand the visual choices the artist made

in creating the artwork. By observing and writing about separate parts of the art object, you will

come to a better understanding of the art object as a whole.

A visual analysis addresses an artwork’s

formal elements—visual attributes such as

color, line, texture, and size. A visual analysis

may also include historical context or

interpretations of meaning.

Be sure to read the assignment carefully to

decide which elements of visual analysis your

professor expects you to include. Some

professors will look for a formal analysis

alone; others will expect you to frame your

formal description in terms of historical

information. You may be asked to offer one or

more interpretations of the possible meanings

of the work. If necessary, ask your professor or

T.A. to clarify expectations for the assignment.

Actions to Take

To write a visual analysis, you must look closely at an art object—or at a photograph of an art

object—and translate your visual observations into written text. However, a visual analysis does

not simply record your observations. It also makes a claim about the work of art.

 Observe the artwork and write down your observations. Be precise. Consider the composition, colors, textures, size, space, and other visual and material attributes of the

artwork. Go beyond your first impressions. This should take some time—allow your eye to

absorb the image. Making a sketch of the work can help you understand its visual logic.

 Formulate a main claim. Your claim might do one of the following:

o Reflect on the overall organization of the work of art, e.g. “Paul Cézanne‟s Mont Sainte-Victoire [Figure 1] is composed of a number of repeated shapes and lines that

serve to unify the composition.” 1

1 Henry M. Sayre, Writing about Art (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005) 58.

Figure 1: Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire (1885-7)

o Consider how formal elements impact the meaning of the artwork, e.g. “Rembrandt‟s use of chiaroscuro heightens the sense of drama in The Night Watch [Figure 2].”

o Relate this work relates to other works you have studied, considering how is it similar to and different from these objects, e.g. “This Egyptian sculpture combines a highly

conventional symmetrical style with mild asymmetry and a degree of realism [Figure

3].” 2

 Support your main claim with visual details.

o Analyze the form of the artwork: line, color, shape, texture, and material are good places to start.

o Target your description. Address only those elements relevant to your main claim.

o Organize your observations in a logical order.

 You might, for example, follow a line through the painting, moving from the background to the foreground, or from left to right. Consider beginning with

composition and moving to material, or vice versa. Many approaches are

possible; choose a structure that makes sense for your main claim.

 In the following example, the author introduces the subject of the painting and then describes the figure’s posture, gestures, and clothing: “Elongated

and spectral, the figure of an older man is seated at a table, painted red. He

leans far to the left. His narrow head is propped upon a skeletal fist; his

other hand lies, its fingers slightly spread, open on the table‟s edge. He is

wearing a cream-colored cap and a dark blue jacket [Figure 4].” 3

2 Sylvan Barnet, A Short Guide to Writing about Art (New York: Longman, 1997) 79.

3 Cynthia Saltzman, Portrait of Dr. Gachet: The Story of a van Gogh Masterpiece. Money, Politics,

Collectors, Greed, and Loss (New York: Penguin, 1998), xv.

Figure 2: Rembrandt, The Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van

Ruytenburch (The Night Watch) (1642)

Figure 3: Ka-aper (c 2500-

2400 BCE)

o Explain why you have chosen to discuss these specific elements. In other words, explain the

significance of your choices for your main claim.

 You may decide to incorporate a quotation from the artist to support your descriptive

choices. For example: “In the corner of the

painting, the barely perceptible outline of a

woman can be seen against a latticed

background. The vagueness of her presence

is necessary, as Bonnard noted in one of his

notebooks, because: „A figure should be part

of the background against which it is placed

[Figure 5].‟” 4

o Discuss the relationship among visual elements of the art work: “The admirable calligraphy of the text

sharply contrasts the paucity of craftsmanship of the

sculpture [Figure 6].” 5

 Use vocabulary words mentioned in class. Foreshortening, linear perspective, and cross- hatching are some examples. Be sure to incorporate only those terms appropriate to your

object.

 If your assignment asks you to identify the style or movement associated with the artwork, you can

explore this connection by comparing the artwork’s

formal elements to the stylistic characteristics that

you have learned in class. For example: “Robert

Adam‟s library at Kenwood is quite classical, not

just because of the Corinthian columns and barrel

vaults, but also because it is symmetrical, geometric,

and carefully balanced [Figure 7].” 6

 You may be asked to situate your art object in its historical context. Ask yourself what the viewer

needs to know about the time period in order to

understand this artwork.

o This may include biographical data about the artist, information about how the artwork

was received in its time, or important

framing of the social, political, or economic

contexts of the time.

o As in your formal analysis, choose evidence that supports your main claim.

4 Laure de Buzon-Vallet and Claude Laugier, in Sasha Newman, ed., Bonnard: The Late Paintings (Paris:

Centre Georges Pompidou, 1984) 198. 5 Denise Schmandt-Besserat, When Writing Met Art: from Symbol to Story (Austin: University of Texas

Press, 2007) 95. 6 Penelope J.E. Davies, et. al., Jansen‟s History of Art: The Western Tradition (Upper Saddle River, NJ:

Prentice Hall, 2007).

Figure 4: Vincent van Gogh,

Dr. Gachet (1890)

Figure 5: Pierre Bonnard, Dining Room

overlooking the Garden (1930-1)

Helpful Links

 Writing in the Disciplines: Art History: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/arthistory.html

 Overview: Visual Rhetoric /Visual Literacy: http://uwp.duke.edu/uploads/assets/overview.pdf

 Visual Rhetoric/Visual Literacy: Writing about Paintings http://uwp.duke.edu/uploads/assets/painting.pdf

 Visual Rhetoric/Visual Literacy: Writing about Photographs http://uwp.duke.edu/uploads/assets/photography.pdf

Helpful Books

 Suzanne Hudson and Nancy Noonan-Morrissey, The Art of Writing about Art (Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, 2002).

 Henry M. Sayre, Writing about Art (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2005).

 Amy Tucker, Visual Literacy: Writing about Art (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001).

Figure 6: The Code of Hammurabi (c. 1792-1750 BCE) Figure 7: Robert Adam, Kenwood: Middlesex Library (1767-9)