For the final writing assignment you may choose a topic or any artist/patron that you are interested in or whom we have learned about in class. You may focus on one artist and the time period that they lived in. Choose one of their artworks to write about and use as an example of the style and time period, how is it characteristic of the time and style? Do not use an example from your book. Using what you have learned in class in addition to outside research, write a 5-6 page paper about that work of art. You must include a picture of the work either on the cover sheet of your paper or at the end of your paper, in addition to a bibliography of at least 5 works cited. You may not use your textbook as one of your sources, but should find at least 5 reliable sources from the internet. Do not plagiarize!!! MLA style of citation is acceptable. This paper is worth 50 points. Points to consider can be addressed through the 4 steps of art criticism within your paper. This is a good way to organize your thoughts in writing your paper.
Description: (25 points) Who is the artist you are writing about? This is where you should give a brief biography and background of the artist. What time period/style was this artist working and what were the major artistic developments at this time that this artist was practicing? What are the characteristics of that style?
Analysis:(10 points) What is the title of the work you are going to write about? What is the subject, is the work abstract, representational or non-representational, is it 2-D or 3-D? What media, material and techniques does the artist use? What are the characteristics of that media and the process which was used? What Formal Elements does the artist use or emphasize? How is this work of art characteristic of the style that you are describing?
Interpretation: (10 points) What is the content/meaning of the work? Does it have a particular theme to the work?
Judgment: (5 points) What is your informed opinion of the artwork? What is your personal interpretation of the work? Why is it important to the history of art?
