Essay 2: Analysis of Cultural Significance (50 points)
Choose one of the images above in the Cultural Significance category. Write a 350-500 word essay discussing its cultural significance. Be sure to cover the following points in your analysis:
Identify the artist, title, period style, and medium.
Discuss the subject matter of the artwork. Does it contain any iconography, symbolism, narrative story, or message? (Iconography means the “writing of images,” so this term refers to the study of content and symbols.)
Discuss the cultural (religious, historical, political) context of the artwork.
Cultural Context refers to what was going on at the time the artwork was created.
(Historically/ Religiously/ Politically/ Geographically/ Socially) (You do not need to cover every aspect here of the cultural context, cover what best helps explain your artwork.)
Are there historical events that contribute to the appearance of the artwork?
Religiously – What was the religion, and how does the architecture/ example of art reflect the religion?
Politically – Is the patron known? Patron refers to the person who commissioned or had the work of art completed. What was the patron’s intention in commissioning this work of art? a
Geographically – Is this a civilization, or an empire? Where was culture located? Does the artwork reflect the region?
Function- how did the artwork/ example of architecture function?
4. Why is this artwork culturally significant? What does it tell us about the culture, religion, or region that produced it?
Does the artwork represent a significant period of time in history?
