For this assignment, you must visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website
(www.metmuseum.org) and choose an example of ancient artwork for visual
analysis. You may pick any object from the following cultures/time periods: Ancient
Near East (Western Asia), Egypt, Greece, Rome, Etruscan, Byzantine, Romanesque,
or Gothic.
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 and/or
function of this object? 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.
Other Paper Requirements:
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 and Museum Accession number:
Your paper should be 2-3 pages double-spaced (roughly 500- 800 words with a
standard font).
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
