THE EXPRESSIVE HUMAN FIGURE: ARTH 200 Paper

ARTH 200 Fall 2019

Sections 103 and 104

Thesis sample and advice for sculpture paper

[Introductory sentences: provide the full name/subject of the statue you’ve chosen, the artist if known, date, and location (city/site – details can follow in body paragraphs) and the same information for the Douglass statue. For example:

Jay Hall Carpenter’s statue of Jim Henson (and Kermit the Frog) was dedicated in 2003 in front of the Stamp Student Union on the University of Maryland, College Park campus.]

[Sample thesis statement:] The statues of Douglass and Henson establish a visual connection between their subjects and the University of Maryland, represent their subjects in animated, speaking poses, and employ additional sculptural elements to convey the accomplishments of their subjects.

[Notes:]

This is just a sample format for your thesis. If you prefer, you can focus on stating the similarities and/or differences between your statues according to element (e.g. material, pose, size, etc.), but you’ll ultimately need to choose only several elements to emphasize in your thesis (see more on that below).

Include the ideas in your thesis that you give the greatest attention to in the rest of your paper. (It’s okay to make changes to your thesis after writing the paper!) In the body paragraphs, include details about the sculptures and compare and contrast those details in support of the claims you make in your thesis.

As we’ve discussed, you should analyze additional elements in your paper that you do not mention in your thesis. For this particular hypothetical comparison of Douglass and Henson, I would also address points of similarity and difference like the materials of the statues and the ways in which the statues invite interaction from viewers.