A-plus Writer No others hand shake please

Prof. Kambs HA112.3

Compare and Contrast Paper Due Friday, November 7th

In a 4-5 page paper, compare and contrast two paintings, choosing from the pairs of works listed below. This assignment builds on the skills you developed in your museum paper. Whereas before you crafted a formal analysis of one work of art, now you are to do the same for two works, creating a dialogue between them. Like your museum paper, this assignment does not require any outside research. A successful compare/contrast paper creates a vivid mental of image of both works for the reader and captures their essential similarities and differences. It should contain a strong thesis that articulates this relationship in a single sentence. Set the two works of art in conversation with one another. Do not spend two pages writing about painting A, followed by two pages about painting B. That type of structure reads as two separate formal analyses and does not develop an understanding of the relationship between the works. A more successful paper will have paragraphs that address particular formal characteristics found in both works. For example, when discussing the setting of painting A, follow that with a discussion of the setting in painting B. The same could be done for brushwork, lighting, composition of figures, construction of pictorial space, etc. Artstor: You will find the works of art about which you are to write by using Artstor, an online database of high resolution images of works of art. All Penn State students have access to Artstor through the PSU library. It does not require any special software to use, beyond an up to date web browser. To access Artstor, go to libraries.psu.edu  Research  Databases. The first time you access Artstor, you might be required to be on a computer on the PSU network. You also might be required to set up an account. Accounts are free and enable the full use of Artstor features. Artstor enables you to zoom in on images, often to the level of individual brushstrokes. Take advantage of this feature to gain a very specific and detailed understanding of the construction of your chosen works. Works of Art: Choose one of the following pairs for your compare/contrast:

1. Jean-Léon Gérôme, The Bath, c. 1880-85, oil on canvas Edgar Degas, Leaving the Bath, c.1895-98, pastel on paper

2. Gustave Courbet, Cliff at Étretat, 1870, oil on canvas Claude Monet, The Manneporte near Étretat, 1886, oil on canvas

3. Edouard Manet, Corner of a Café-Concert, 1878-80, oil on canvas Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942, oil on canvas

Prof. Kambs HA112.3

Formatting: Papers must be word processed, double spaced, and have standard margins. Titles of works of art are to be italicized. Your paper must have a title that reflects the content of your paper (“Compare and Contrast Paper” or “The Differences and Similarities Between….” are not effective titles. Academic Integrity: Evidence of plagiarism will result in a failing grade and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. See the syllabus for a full discussion of plagiarism, and please ask me if you have any questions on this matter. Due Date: Papers are to be submitted online via turnitin by midnight on Friday, November 7th. **Extra Credit: The Learning Resources Center has peer tutors available to assist you with paper writing. If you bring your paper to one of their tutors, you will receive a bonus point for the assignment. For more information on the LRC, see http://psbehrend.psu.edu/Academics/academic-services/lrc.