VIS 20 Paper Assignment: Visual Analysis of a Museum Object

VIS 20 Paper Assignment: Visual Analysis of a Museum Object
Part I: Read the article by Carol Duncan “The Art Museum as Ritual,” available on TritonEd.
Part II: Visit a museum of western art. Possibilities include, but are not restricted to, the Timken Museum of Art and the San Diego Museum of Art, both located in Balboa Park, or the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla or downtown San Diego. If you have the opportunity to go outside the San Diego area you will have a broader range of choices. Select one work of art that interests you and that you would like to look at and analyse in detail. It must come from the geographical areas covered by our class (the ancient Near East and Egypt, Europe and the United States). Examine the work carefully. Also think about its placement and presentation in the context of the museum.
Part III: Write a detailed analysis in three double-spaced type-written pages. Devote approximately two pages to a visual analysis of the work of art that you have selected. In the final page, consider it within the broader museum context, as discussed by Duncan in her article.
A visual analysis is more than a simple description; it includes analysis of how and why something is represented in the way that it is. Why did the artist make the choices that he or she did, and how do those choices affect the appearance of the work of art? In your analysis be certain to include the following issues; some can be addressed in a sentence or two, while others will require greater explanation. You may address them in any order that makes sense and creates a cohesive and flowing essay.
Consider the following:
Scale: What is its approximate size? Do its size and shape affect its impact on the viewer?
Material: What is the work made of? Does its medium affect its appearance?
Subject Matter: What is the subject of the piece? Is its subject characteristic of the period in which it was made?
Composition: How are the forms arranged or organized? Consider the forms as a two-dimensional design on the surface of the canvas, or as three-dimensional forms in space. Is there a particular element that serves as the visual focus? Why is your eye led to this area? Are the different parts of the composition linked in such a way as to guide the eye around the piece? How is this achieved? If you are considering a painting, is a sense of recession into space created? How? How are forms arranged along the edges of the canvas? Are forms complete or cut off?
The Human Figure: If your work includes human figures, how are they depicted? Are the bodies proportional and portrayed realistically? Are their poses natural? If they are clothed, how is the drapery depicted?
Light, Color and Brushstroke: If you are considering a painting, is there uniform light or does there appear to be a single light source? If so, where does the light appear to originate? Does this affect the composition? Are colors realistic? Do the colors employed affect your perception of the piece? Can you see the brushstrokes? How does this affect your response to the work?
Historical Context: In what historical period and geographical region was the piece created? Do you think that this work is typical of its period? Why or why not?
Museum Context: How is the work displayed within the context of the museum? Is Duncan’s analysis of museums relevant to your experience of the museum? Do you agree or disagree with her analysis?
These questions are to help you analyse a museum object, but they may be addressed in any order, as long as you create a unified, well reasoned essay. Please be clear, concise and organized. Standard English and neatness are important components in effective communication.
please chose "The Penitent Saint Peter" by El Greco as the artwork to specific talks about. pleases make sure have a thesis statement for this essay
those are some website introduce this painting
http://www(dot)balboaparkcommons(dot)org/objectview/item/26136967/SDMA
http://www(dot)el-greco(dot)org/st-peter-in-penitence/