The Visual Analysis Paper History Essay Research Paper

The art work's museum accession number is 07.197
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­­­­Visual Analysis Paper- Due 11:59 pm, October 15, 2019

Submit on Blackboard.

For this assignment, you must visit either the Brooklyn Museum or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, choose an example of Renaissance art (Italian or Northern) and provide a visual analysis that is 2-3 pages in length. You may choose to write about any painting or sculpture that you find interesting (meaning, it doesn’t have to be a piece that we have talked about in class), though I would highly recommend you get my approval before you start writing.

Visual analysis is the basic unit of art historical writing, in which one addresses an artwork’s formal elements, such as color, line, texture, composition, and size. Basically, you should think as if you are describing the work of art to someone who has never seen it before, and who does not have the image in front of him or her. A formal analysis is also more than just a description of the work, and should include a thesis statement that encapsulates your conclusions about the work. The thesis statement, may answer a question such as: What do I think is the meaning of this work? What is the message that this work or artist sends to the viewer? How is this work of art an example of the historical period in which it was made (you may also consider the fact that it may be reactive against the art historical norms of the period)? The thesis statement is incredibly important, and is what makes your paper interpretive rather than just descriptive.

Your introduction- the first paragraph- should include the basic information about the piece that you are writing about (the artist, the title of the work, which is italicized every time you use the title in your paper, and the date). You should then discuss what the subject of the work is and provide a brief description of the work, which should help the reader understand how you formulated your thesis statement.

In the body of your paper, you must analyze the form of the artwork and use this description to support any interpretations you may have about the object.  For instance, if an image looks as if it is conveying a sense of power or authority, what are the visual elements (such as size, color, material, etc.) of the piece that made you come to this conclusion? Your paper should be carefully organized, and your observations should help support your thesis statement. Your conclusion- the final paragraph- should reiterate the main points you made in your paper, and explain how they all support your thesis statement.

Please include the object’s tombstone information at the beginning of the paper, in the following format (this part should be single spaced):

Title:

Artist (if known):

Medium:

Provenance (where an object is from):

Date:

Museum Accession number:

You must also include proof of your museum visit. This should be a photograph of you artwork that you have chosen for your paper.

Late papers will not be accepted. If you foresee an issue that would cause you to not be able to turn in your paper by the due date you must let me know ahead of time (and by ahead of time, I don’t mean the evening before the paper is due!).  

What you’ll be graded on:

1) How effectively you describe the work of art

2) How effectively you support your thesis statement

3) How well you organize the thoughts in your paper

4) Spelling

5) Grammar

6) Punctuation

7) How closely you follow the instructions for this paper