Oedipus at Colonus by Jean Antoine Theodore Giroust

Attend an art museum

Select one work of art that you can defend as a work of art according to the “Categories of Judgement” by Doris Van de Bogart. (See the enclosed hand-out)  Write a three page essay about your selected art work. Your essay will include how you felt emotionally towards the art work, why you selected the art work, why the work is considered art, information about the artist, how you evaluated the art work critically and characteristics of that time period. Your essay will be three pages in length, double spaced, and in a 12 point font including references with a minimum of two references.

Include the following answers from the questions in your essay.
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What is the title of the art work you selected?  _________________________

Who was the artist who created the art work you selected? __________________

What museum did you attend?  ______________________    (Name of the museum)

Why did you select the work of art you selected?

Explain why your selection is a work of art by including the categories of judgement in you               response as part of your essay.  (See the 4 words, “Categories of Judgment” at the end of this assignment and include that information in your response in your essay) 

"What do you think influenced or who affected the artist that you noticed when you observed the form, design, and/or substance of the work?" 

When you examined your “selected art work”, did you recognize characteristics that reflect the period when the artist made it?

If so, describe those characteristics you observed.

If not, describe why that was not the case.

Did you notice any particular characteristics that were common and similar to any other artists whose work was done at that same time period?    If so, what are they? 

If not, why do you think that your artist did not seem to “fit in” or utilize the common characteristics of the period?

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References:

Much of your essay will come from your own reactions and ideas about the work you selected. Please describe your work in detail and be thorough. You should use references when writing about the characteristics about the period of time and other artists’ work when selecting material about the period of time.  Be sure to write clearly and neatly.  Please look over your work.

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The following Four words are the words you will use in evaluating the art work that you selected for your essay.           

                                       “FOUR CATEGORIES OF JUDGEMENT”

                             From Doris Van de Bogart Introduction to the Humanities

To make the topic of evaluation in the humanities a less complicated matter, it can help to consider 4 components which are helpful in the process of deciding the value and quality of a work or performance.  The 4 components are:  SINCERITY, CRAFTSMANSHIP, MAGNITUDE, and UNIVERSALITY.  (From:  Doris Van De Bogart)

Sincerity

First of all, the artist needs to be sincere or honest in his endeavors.  He needs to be true to himself and free from the idea of pleasing others.  An artist needs to be in touch with himself and his world and be able to create what he feels about the world in which he lives.  If he copies or does work that is over-exaggerated just to draw attention, he is insincere.  Ask yourself the question, "Is the artist sincere?"  You may think that it is not possible to do this unless you are able to meet the artist.  Since this is not always possible, look for the qualities of sincerity that are found in the final product.  Is the work overdone or melodramatic? Is he or she portraying something that is just a fad, or does it look too commercial (or just so that it will sell)?

Of course, the test of time is actually the best way to judge master works, but when you are looking at contemporary works, you can use these 4 components, since it is not possible to project the future of the art's acceptance.

Craftsmanship

The second one is the craftsmanship of the work.  This is also called technique.  Did he or she know the media, the process and the methods of reaching the goal?  Did the artist understand his materials and have the proper skills in order to create the work?  Then you ask, did he go beyond the technique and make something meaningful?  How did the artist express an emotion that seemed to display a feeling?

Magnitude

The third component is the magnitude or the level at which something is created.  Is it for the moment?  Does it represent a trite theme that is not timeless?  What level of meaning does it represent?  Is it something you want to see? Did it leave you with a sense of awe?  What impact did it have on you?

Universality

The fourth is universality.  This is the reason that art lives on and outlasts time and place; the feelings that humans have felt from all time periods and still feel them today (love, hate; happiness, fear, etc.).  Universal feelings are usually what “lives on” in the work and why it seems meaningful to people years down the road or much later.  The feelings transcend the work.