Make an art analysis essay based on the art sculpture piece in the file. This piece has cultural background of ancient maya (as it is an ancient maya sculputre); so, given that, You’d be the effect that it has on the viewer, as well as consider its function. You can have the voice of a person discovering why the piece affected you. Your analysis, just like with the other paper this term, should speak in detailed ways.
o Your thesis will include observations and interpretation: about the marriage of form and subject matter toward some kind of meaning in that particular, unique work. You’re aiming for an interesting interpretation that is convincing based on the evidence you point to and bring into the analysis. It doesn’t have to be a definitive claim; maybe you’ll argue that you can see the piece in more than one way.
o ***You don’t want to impose some general idea onto the piece (like that it has to do with ‘humans and the environment’) or make some claim about something that others’ would not find persuasive. You want to stay close to the detail in the piece, what you notice, and what you’ve learned.
o You can quote from the museum label, which may include the artist’s own statement about her or his intentions. But realize that once that piece is out in the world, it will be interpreted, apart from those intentions.
o Your paragraphs will explain the different aspects of your piece in ways that relate to your overall view of it. You are taking the reader in and around that piece, looking at ‘variety’ and ‘unity.’
o Pay attention to where the eye goes first—that may be the spot of highest contrast. Think about the art elements and principles that cause that unique art piece to have an effect on you, and probably on other viewers.
Take readers through your analysis, drawing on evidence from the piece and relevant
ideas in the readings provided (in files)
• Sir David Piper’s chapter sfrom Undertanding Art;
Sylvan Barnet’s Short Guide to Writing About Art;
Grahan Collier’s “Transformations” chapter from Art and the Creative
Consciousness.
Article on Ancient Maya Art for Context:
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/mayas/hd_mayas.htm
Readings Provided are in the files.
Considering the concept of transformation and divine representation in the interpretation of the “Urn in the Form of K’inich Ahaw,” you might focus on two of Sir David Piper’s concepts that can enhance this interpretation: (chapters of these concepts for evidence is provided in the files)
Volume, Mass, and Gravity: This concept can be applied to discuss how the artist has used the urn’s form to create a sense of volume and mass, giving the depiction of K’inich Ahaw a sense of solidity and presence. You can explore how the artist has used the materiality of the earthenware to convey a sense of gravity, grounding the deity in the physical world.
Illumination and Tonality: This concept can be applied to analyze how the artist has used pigment and light to create tonal variations on the urn’s surface. You can discuss how the play of light and shadow enhances the three-dimensionality of the depiction, adding depth and richness to the representation of K’inich Ahaw.
Use the “Art Analysis Sample-The Scream-Barnet.pdf” in the files as an example.
