Assignment

This assignment requires you to attend an exhibition at an art museum. You are asked to select one work of art, observe it, reflect on your observation, research the work and then write a critical paper. The purpose of the paper is to improve your observational, research, and evaluative skills.

Format Criteria

1. Text of Paper: Papers should be 1500 - 3000 words, typed and double-spaced, and include three scholarly or academic references (traditional or virtual) in addition to the museum itself. Identify the work(s) of art by artist, title, medium, geographic origin and the name of the museum where the work is housed.

• Introduction - State your thesis and the purpose of your research paper clearly. Explain briefly the major points you plan to cover in your paper and why this is of interest.

• Body - Explain and expand upon the points in the introduction. Present ideas and support them. This includes presentation of your research and your own ideas. Include images, if possible. Credit your sources using in-text citation.

• Conclusion - Restate your thesis. Summarize your arguments. Explain why you have come to your conclusion.

2. Citation Guidelines

• In addition to the in-text citations include a works cited section. Papers that do not meet their minimum citation requirement will not be considered.

• You must have a minimum of 4 sources and at least one source that is not web related.

• Use MLA style for your citation reference format.

Paper Format Guidelines

Heading and Title Format

You do not need a title page. In the upper left hand corner of the first page put Student Name, Instructor Name, Course, Section and Date.

Two spaces below this heading type the title of the essay. Leave two spaces between the title and the first line of the paper.

Text

1. All papers must be typed, double-spaced.
2. Use 11 or 12 point font
3. Do not use a showy font.
4. Titles of paintings and sculptures must be underlined or in italics. (per MLA requirements)

Use the Art piece below

The J. Knox Corbett House at the Tucson Museum of Art has a collection of Arts and Crafts furnishings and collections of period everyday household items such as the pottery piece below made by Rookwood Art Pottery based in Ohio.

This is the description that was found beside it

Along the fireplace mantel are several pieces of Arts and Crafts (late 1800s-1930s) pottery, which come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Most of these vessels were made in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century when artists were experimenting with innovative glazing techniques to create unique textures and designs on their ceramics. Some of the pottery pieces in the home are made by Rookwood Art Pottery, a company based in Ohio. These examples often use a single color with nature-inspired patterns and decorative motifs that accent the surface of the pottery.

Look closely at the different colors, glazes, textures, and designs on these vessels-which one would you put in your house and why?

Follow the guidelines below where applicable

• If it relates to religious, secular, mythological, or historical themes. Remember that in many cases the artists did not title the artworks.

• Your notes should include a description of the artwork. This involves taking an inventory of what is depicted. What do you see? (imagine you are describing what you see to someone over the phone)

• Start with the obvious. Name what you see: trees, figures (how many), squares, ovoid shapes, biomorphic shapes, colors, etc.

• Are they located in the foreground, mid-ground, or background? Recognize repetition of shapes, colors, etc.

• Point out spatial characteristics. Does it appear you are looking into deep space or is the space very shallow?

• Discuss the character of execution of the media. How has the paint been applied, in many thin layers, in an impasto? Are the tools of execution evident in the work?

Formal Analysis:

• Formal analysis: This refers to the relationships among the elements you have already described.

• How are they organized in regard to shape, areas and intensity of color, texture, etc?

• Are there contradictions such as more than one type of space being implied? This refers to the relationships between the elements you have already described. (the Sensory Elements and Principles?

• Is the composition stable or dynamic?

• What type of balance exists? Symmetrical? Asymmetrical?

• Are shapes, colors, textures, or other elements repeated to create a rhythm?

• Is there more variety or unity in the design?

• Are perspective devices, overlaps, changes in size, color intensity, or sharpness of edge that suggest space deeper than of the picture plane.

• Are objects shown with shadows or highlights?

• Are there contradictions such as more than one type of space being implied?

• Does there seem to be a dominant color scheme, primary, complementary secondary, warm or cool, or analogous?

• Do the light and dark tones (value) of the work strongly contrast or change gradually?

• Is there a main focal point or more than one center of interest?

Iconographic Analysis:

• Notes on the context and iconography. This will require additional research.
• Exploring the history, the mythology, and the philosophy relating to the symbolic content of the work.
• Works may have more than one meaning.

o What are themes are found in the work of art?
o What symbols are found in the work?
o What do they mean?
o What relevance did these meanings have for the culture in which the work was created and for contemporary culture?

• The descriptive, formal and iconographic notes will be very useful

Researching

Contextual information about the artist, the style, the culture, and/or the period.

• You may use newspaper reviews. Use credible sources and do not use encyclopedias

• Develop thesis about the work: the form, the style, the historical period, and the iconography should support thesis

• Relevant information about the life of the artist, NOT a biography of the artist.