Too often students confuse a work of art’s subject with its description. So before you begin, be sure to understand this. The subject of a work is the person, thing, or event that informs the image. But it’s not the description. A description examines the image bit by bit, addressing its elements of art, principles of design, expressions, meaning, and sometimes, the value. For example, a work of art might be a painting of the front of your house. That’s the subject. But the description explores every part of the house and what these parts look like and accomplish: Colors, shadows, decay, building materials, windows, awnings, front door, screen door, roof, front steps, railings, lawn, flowers, bushes, and more. A subject is a brief overview. A description is a detailed look.
For this assignment, you’ll write a detailed look at a work of art. To accomplish this, follow the instructions below.
1. Choose one of the images below that interests you. Find it on the web and paste it into a Word document. All of these images are available at the indicated online museums. Please copy the image from the museum site.
Young Mother Sewing by Mary Cassatt, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Three Musicians by Pablo Picasso, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Still Life with Apples by Paul Cezanne, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Illustrated Manuscript of the Balagopala Stuti by Bilvamangala Swami, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Display Plate with the Bust of a Woman, Italy, Art Institute of Chicago
2. For the image you choose, jot down this information from the website: title, artist if known, medium (materials), date, current location. Use this information to write an image caption.
3. Read about the subject of the image, and anything else that would lend insight to its background or meaning. Use information on the website or in books.
4. The outline of your description should be as follows:
Title of the Description, your name, and date.
A introduction to the description. Explain the subjects of the art, along with the information you gained in #2. Research to identify names of people or creatures that are known.
Write a background to the work, including the information obtained in #3.
Write a thorough description of the work. Follow the guidelines in the background reading link, “How to Describe a Work of Art” (above). Follow Parts One, Two, and Three for writing your description. However, you can add other observations and opinions, too. There is no such thing as “too detailed.” Look closely, and then look again. Cover every part of the image. Include the details of the image, along with the elements of art and principles of design. Use the vocabulary words introduced into the text chapters for this module.
Write a conclusion to your description. What we can we learn from it? What is your opinion? What did you learn about description?
5. Your essay should include at least 1,200 words, not including the source list.
6. Write in your own words. Don’t copy from sources, unless you’re using a direct quote.
7. Include a source list in MLA or Chicago Style manual style.
