Western Art History Analysis Form
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analysis_form.docxChoose an artifact in your possession that contains some personal significance and perhaps historical significance. The artifact may be totemic, utilitarian, or of aesthetic beauty.
Fill out this document ( Analysis Form ), answering the questions and digging as deeply as possible with regard to this object that you have chosen to observe. The goal is to find possible connections between the formal, thematic, and contextual elements of the object toward a possible argument with regard to the importance of the artifact in relation to one or more of these elements.
Be sure and add a thesis statement developed by looking across the developed palette.
THESIS STATEMENT: (for example) I chose … as …, and I would like to argue … about this object.
Visual FORMAL
Actual Composition (describe it here- no opinion words only literally what is seen): _________________
Art Elements (list which of the following are seen in the artwork: line, color/light, space, texture, etc): ____
Design Principles (Choose one to describe as used in your artifact: Focal Point, Balance type, Rhythm, Unity, etc): _____________________
State Size/Scale: __’’x__’’
State artifact Media/Materials it is made of: ___________________
State Processes/Methods used by artifact maker (lost wax for example or state unknown): _______________
Skills (what skills did the maker of this object posses): _____________
Style and why(liken it to a style/period of art- Baroque for example due to strong use of light): __________________________________
Other(any other information we should know about the artifact’s appearance) optional:___________________
THEMATIC
Broad Subject/BIG IDEA (not opinion- instead words like Religious, Nature, etc): __________________
Subject Matter (literal –no opinion): ______________________
“Viewpoint”/Perspective: _________________________
Visual Sources (what source or object did the artist likely use to reference the image): _____________
Art Historical References (how does the object reference another artwork or object or artist?): _________
Literary Sources (how does the object possibly have some reference to a piece of literature or text):__________
Other Art Connections (think well beyond the literal to answer these questions in full):____________
Music (how could the object have a connection to piece of music) :_______
Theater (how could the object have a connection to a theater production):_______
Dance (how could the object have a connection to dance style):_________
Film (how could the object have a connection to movie):___________
Other Subjects:
Math (how could the object have a connection to math): __________
Language Arts (how could the object have a connection to another language): __________
Science (how could the object have a connection to a concept of Science): __________
Social Studies (how could the object have a connection to social interactions): __________
Physical Education (how could the object have a connection to physical fitness): __________
Vocational Education: (how could the object have a connection to job related skills) __________
CONTEXT
When was it created? __________
Where was it created? __________
By/ For Whom was it created? __________
Why was it created? __________
Significance/Relevance:
Personal (what personal significance does this object have to you): __________
Social (what significance does this object have to your society): __________
Cultural (what personal significance does this object have to a culture): __________
Historical (what role does this object have within history): __________
Artistic (what role does this object have to artistic development): __________
Educational (what role does this object have within education): __________
Political (what role does this object have within politics): __________
Spiritual (what role does this object have to the spiritual): __________
Other: __________
