Posted: June 4th, 2022

Western art and culture

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AHIS 1: Final Essay
Analysis/Comparison Paper Overview
The art history analysis/comparison paper will assess your knowledge of great works of Western art and culture and, in particular, your ability to think critically and contextually about the arts. Through comparing and contrasting the two pieces of art that you chose in Milestone One, you will evaluate how two works with similar themes or subject matter can be expressed by very different styles, contexts, and cultural meanings. In the analysis/comparison paper, you will communicate ideas regarding Western art and culture from antiquity through the Gothic periods, using the specialized vocabulary explored within the fine arts and humanities content learned throughout the course. While the primary goal of this paper is not research, you are strongly encouraged to consult a few quality research sources to assist you in identifying your works and analyzing their styles and historical contexts. As suggested, possible resources to consult are your Gardner’s textbook, SmartHistory/Khan Academy videos, and relevant museum websites.
This assignment will assess your mastery with respect to the following outcomes:
Obtain knowledge of great works of Western art and culture (painting, sculpture, architecture)
Be able to analyze works of art in terms of subject matter and style
Be able to communicate ideas about art using the appropriate vocabulary in written format
The project includes two ‘milestones,’ which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to incorporate feedback and ensure quality final essay submissions. These milestones will be submitted in the Week 3 and Week 10 modules. The final submission will be submitted in Week 15.
As you now know, you will select two different works of art from two different time periods or style movements from the ancient through the Gothic periods. The two works should have some common elements (such as subject matter, theme, or visual structure). Please include at least one image of each work on the first page of your paper (with your Name, Class, Term, and title of your Final Essay, before you start writing your introduction. If possible, provide multiple images of your chosen pieces, with different angles or views. In the paper, you will address how the style, theme, and meanings of a work of art relate to its various contexts (historical, social, political, philosophical, artistic, etc.). You will also examine the ways in which the style of an artwork affects the way it looks; and address how each piece expresses the visual features, formal elements, and thematic concerns of its particular style movement.
The following critical elements must be included and addressed:
Five Simple Steps
I. Craft an INTRODUCTION that gives your reader the WHAT and the WHY
Start with a strong sentence telling your reader what you are going to do in this essay. Then…
a. What? What are you comparing? What are you contrasting? Your introduction will include information about both works, indicating as fully as possible the following:
1. Identify the name of the artist and name or title of each of the works of art you have selected (keep in mind that these pieces need to be from two different time or style periods covered in this course).
2. Identify the style movement or period of time and the closest date for each work of art selected for the analysis paper.
3. Identify the location and origin of the selected works of art you have chosen to analyze.
b. Why? Defend your chosen topic by explaining why the two pieces should be compared (in terms of their significance to the time period, the cultural and historical context of the work(s), or the importance of the works to the development of art). What do you hope your readers will gain through your comparison?
II. Include a brief background and analysis of the works (one paragraph for each artwork)
In the body of your paper, as you compare and contrast the works, make sure to provide the following information for each work of art:
How does this work relate to its style movement and historical context?
How does the piece express the visual and thematic features of its style period?
Support your ideas with your objective observations on the work and what it reveals about the style movement and time period in which it was created.
III. Compare and contrast the works (in two paragraphs)
Identify the visual similarities and differences between the two works.
Explain why they are important and how they relate to the style movements of the pieces. This section should expand and refine what you included in your draft (Milestone Two). Your analysis should reflect further understanding of key course concepts and language used in the analysis of art history.
IV. Include a brief reflection on your study of art history through your analysis
How does your analysis reflect your own study of art history? What did you learn about yourself, other cultures, and other time periods through the study of these artistic artifacts?
How can the study of visual art (painting, sculpture, architecture), and other art forms help you in your own professional field or in your personal life? What is the value of art to you?
V. Sign off with a strong conclusion
Use your conclusion to revisit what you have illustrated throughout your paper about the significance of your analysis and make a strong statement that emphasizes your main thesis and sums up your response to these two works. This concluding paragraph is art selection focused; part IV is focused on your reflection on the study of art history.
Seven paragraphs total.
Format for submission:
Final Essay submissions should be 4 to 5 pages in length (approximately 1100 to 1,600 words), not counting the title page, images page, and list of works cited page. Make sure the paper is double-spaced and uses 12 point Times New Roman type. The paper should be written in MLA or Chicago Manual of Style. In other words, any information used from another source should indicate the author and page number in parentheses, for example, (Kleiner, 72) directly next to the information in the paper, and the complete reference should be listed in the Bibliography. You must submit a .pdf of your Final Essay via Canvas by the due date.
You’re going to work further on your Milestone 2 and finish your final paper. You followed the guidelines of Milestone 2. The Final Essay has additional things to add to your paper to complete it, like the Conclusion.
One thing I can see is that you don’t really have an introduction sentence in your Overview. You jump in and introduce one work, then the other. What are you doing in this paper? Why are you comparing these two? Then introduce them.
The similarities and differences paragraphs need to be separate, which you did. When students say there are many, then they should discuss many (not just one similarity and one difference). That’s why I say students need to add further to their papers.
Then the concluding paragraph will tie it all together. Remember that old saying: “say what your going to say, say it, then tell your reader what you said.” 😀 That corresponds to Overview, body of paper, Conclusion.

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