History of Western Art: Renaissance to Contemporary

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WRITING ABOUT ART Art is a provocative medium, and your challenge in writing about art may often be to define and

evaluate the artist’s choices and techniques, which, according to your intellect and perception, arouse interest and convey meaning. In most cases you will be translating the visual (what you see) into language (what you write). In order to do this, you will have to be extremely attentive to the characteristics of the work—which means that description will incorporate a portion of your essay—and be attentive to the vocabulary of the discipline of Art.

You must also be able to develop a thesis statement with a detailed analysis and argument about the artwork you have chosen. Therefore, you must consider what it is you want to say, and use description to make that point. In many ways, writing an Art History essay is similar to writing other types of essays in the Humanities. It requires a clear and focused topic, an arguable thesis, an organized format and structure, clear and coherent paragraphs, and a command of grammar and style.

Thesis Statement

Most academic essays seek to persuade readers to understand a specific issue in a specific way—the writer’s way. The writer’s thesis statement offers this substantial but concise assertion of her/his understanding (usually in one to two sentences in the introduction or near the beginning of the essay), thereby providing an essay with its judgmental focus.

Perhaps, though, in writing about art you might want to offer a well thought-out central idea rather than an overtly argumentative statement. For example, “African art was a major influence on the work of Pablo Picasso” states a well-documented and widely shared opinion that is interesting but uncontroversial. Of course, a paper on this topic would have to fully elaborate on that relationship and offer examples of it. The difference between an idea and a thesis statement is in their degree of contention. The above example of a central idea could be debatable, but mainly the disagreement would arise if the writer does not adequately explain and illustrate the idea through detailed description, intelligent criticism, and analysis, and not because of the idea itself. However, in a thesis statement—such as, “Picasso’s treatment of women in his art mirrors the distorted vision he had of women in general”—it is more obvious that readers will either strongly disagree or agree, by the very nature of the claim itself. Moreover, even if the writer advances a stimulating argument with impressive evidence in defense of the thesis, because the claim is so contentious, a reader may still disagree. Using Sources A good research paper often includes evidence from both primary and secondary sources. Whether you are using primary or secondary sources, remember to explain and analyze the passages that you have chosen from the texts (or elements you have chosen from the works), and what those passages (or elements) mean in relation to your argument. You must also prepare your reader before using passages (direct or paraphrased) by providing at least a brief background. Example: “Jane Doe, chair of the Philosophy department at Harvard states…”

1. Primary Sources Primary sources refer to the original materials (not what another author says about them). In the case of art, primary sources will most likely be the artwork (paintings, sculptures, installations), or interviews with artists.

2. Secondary Sources Interpreting and commenting on primary sources, secondary sources include books and articles in scholarly journals. These texts are extremely helpful as they deepen our knowledge of art and inform us of the many critical approaches to art that scholars and other specialists in the field have taken. Even though these sources are of great value, an art paper is usually not comprised entirely of secondary sources. Remember do not use Wikipedia or blogs.

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Documentation You are required to document all of your sources, including ideas, paraphrases, quotations, and references to a complete text. There are style manuals, such as The MLA (The Modern Language Association) Handbook that provide guidelines for documentation. I have provided links on Canvas for an example MLA formatted essay, bibliography, and citation assistance **Remember: If sources are consulted, they must have an in-text citation with the source included on a works cited page at the end of the document. Also, biographical information used in the essay must be cited to demonstrate the sources that have been consulted.**

Art History Papers Formal Analysis Considers the formal parts (e.g., framing, symmetry, perspective, etc.) of a work of art and their relationship to create new and interesting ways of seeing and understanding the work in question as a whole. TIPS TO ANALYZE ARTWORK. THESE ARE FORMAL ANALYSIS ELEMENTS TO ADD TO YOUR ARTWORK ANALYSIS ESSAY. Please note: these are prompts to consider and integrate into an analysis. Do not simply list each point in an essay.

PAINTING / PHOTOGRAPHY 1. Identification

--Who is the artist? --What is the subject or title? --Where and when was the work created?

2. Subject Matter --What type of painting/photograph is it?

a) religious b) historical c) genre (scene of everyday life) d) still life e) portrait f) landscape g) architectural view

--If it seems to belong to two categories, does one dominate?

3. Frame and Pictorial Area --What is the actual size of the picture? Remember that height precedes width. --What is the proportion of height to width? Is it taller rather than wide? Is it a perfect square? --What is the relationship of the shapes within the painting or photo to the frame of the

artwork? Are the shapes harmonious or discordant? --Does the frame cut the shapes? Or are they entirely contained within the picture?

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4. Technique --What materials are used for support: wood, canvas, cardboard, paper? What type of photo paper? --What types of materials are used to create the artwork: oil, tempura, watercolor, pastel? --How is the paint applied: thickly or thinly, with a fine or coarse brush, or by other

means (such as a palette knife)? --Are colors transparent (you can see through the color) or opaque (you cannot see through the color)? --Have other materials been used, as in a collage? Did the photographer paint on the photo?

5. Composition (arrangement of the parts that form the whole) Address how elements of

composition affect the artwork. --Organization of the entire picture plane: Is it simple or complex? Geometrically

ordered or free and seemingly accidental? Do some forms dominate others? Is there symmetry (similar parts facing each other on equal sides)? Is the painting crowded or spacious? Are the shapes similar or different? Do similar shapes repeat?

--Individual shapes or objects: Are there many or few? Are they large or small (in relation to the entire picture area)? What kinds of patterns do they form? Is the emphasis on the central area of the painting or marginal areas? Are forms multi-dimensional or flat?

--Lines: Is there a clear sense of line? Are lines clear or obscure? Angular or curved? --Colors: Are they bright (saturated) or subdued (low-key)? Are there many colors or few

(is the palette ‘wide’ or ‘limited’)? Are the dominant colors warm (reds, oranges, yellows) or cool (blues, grays, greens)? How does the color affect the mood of the work? Is it black & white? Are there moderate or extreme contrasts? Are there large areas of color or small patches? Are certain colors repeated?

--Light: Is there a consistent source? Is the source inside or outside the picture? Is light used to emphasize parts of the picture, to create mood? If it is a black and white photo, how is the photographer using light to emphasize certain parts of the photo.

--Space: Is the space within the artwork shallow or deep? Is the emphasis on solid planes of color or voids (intervals)? What kind of perspective is used (linear and/or aerial)? Is the main interest of the artwork near or far from the viewer?

6. Function

--Is the painting an altarpiece that was originally made of a church, a devotional image, meant for the home, etc.? Is the photo documentary evidence, or is it for artistic purposes? How might the function of the artwork affect the form?

SCULPTURE 1. Identification

--What is the title or subject? --When and where was it made? --What medium was used?

2. Subject Matter --What is shown? --Does the subject come from Old or New Testament, classical literature (mythology), the

lives of the saints, Renaissance literature, or everyday life?

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3. Formal Analysis --Technical means: Carved from stone (what kind?) or wood? Modeled in clay and

then cast in bronze, or glazed? Welded metal? Other? --Volumes: What kind of three-dimensional forms are basic to the sculpture: geometric

(conic, cubic, pyramidal), irregular (jagged, smooth, organic)? How are these forms organized?

--Line: Are there dominant linear elements seen in the forms themselves, or are they incised onto the surfaces of the forms? What is the relationship between linear and volumetric elements?

--Space: To what degree does the figure displace space? Do the forms and space interpenetrate? Is the piece a relief that creates the illusion of space within it? Is the sculpture frontal? Does it turn in space? Was it meant to be seen from one point of view, or from many viewpoints?

--Color: Is there color or gilding (gold leaf or paint) added to the sculpture? Is the color of the material of special importance? Does the color have a thematic significance? Does it have a descriptive or expressive function?

--Light: Has the artist considered the effect of light upon his work? Are the forms arranged so that a particular effect of light and shade will be attained?

4. Iconographic Analysis (a particular depiction of a subject in terms of the content of the

image) --Is the subject treated the same way in several contemporary works? --Is the figure or pose traditional? Has the tradition been constant or varied over time? --Is the subject new or is there a new treatment of an old subject?

5. Function --Was the work part of a larger decorative program, such as a façade of a buiding? --Was it intended for public or private viewing? --How might function have affected the form?

6. Content

--How do the subject, theme, and/or form convey ideas, values, sentiments, and perceptions? --What does the work of art say about the period and culture in which it was created?

ARCHITECTURE 1. Identification

--Name of building? Location? --Date built? (Many buildings are built over a long period of time; what parts were built

at what dates?) --Name of architect, if known?

2. Purpose --Temple, church, tomb, house, palace, meeting hall, office building? --Further distinctions: cathedral, chapel, etc.?

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3. Importance of the Building --Who uses the building? --Is the site important?

4. Structure --What forms help hold the building up? --What materials were used? Were they easily available? --How is the building lit? --What is the size of the windows and doors? --Does the shape of the site affect the building? --What is the form of the ceiling? --Are there columns? Where? What kind? What is their function? --Is there sculpture on the building? --How is exterior related to interior? --Are different sections of the building meant for different functions?

5. History and Geography --Are the forms of the building similar to those of other buildings? --What elements reflect local tradition? --Are traditional elements practical or customary? --Name of building? Location? --Date built? (Many buildings are built over a long period of time; what parts were built

at what dates?) --Name of architect? If known, how do other building work in comparison?

6. Meaning --What statement does the building make about human values, ideas, beliefs, and sentiments.