ART 101 South University Mother Feeding Child Painting Visual Analysis Essay
Topic Essay: Museum Virtual VisitWrite an 800-word formal visual analysis of a single painting from a list of paintings supplied below. Your only source of information will be the photo on the link provided. Please resist the temptation to research your panting or artist. This is not a research paper and introducing outside ideas will only diminish the clarity of your thinking. The essay is not about being "right" about the painting's history, meaning or context, it is about looking at art on your own, learning to see, and relying on your own judgment, who knows maybe for the first time. After you submit the assignment you can feel free to google your work or artist. Trust me when I say anything you find will not help you to construct an essay in your own voice that describes the painting based on the lessons we have been studying.The idea of this Museum Topic Essay is to create a formal visual analysis of the work based on how it looks to you as a viewer. This means you come armed with the vocabulary from the visual elements and the artistic principles from week two, and the themes from week three. Since this is not a research paper. I have deliberately chosen works that you can write about without knowing about them. You are not to write at all about the subject or meaning of the painting. I understand, that this is most likely what you want to write about, but that is not what this assignment requires. Focus on the forms. What do you see? Obviously, you may refer to the subject as it suits your description, but do not engage in interpreting the work.HOW TO WRITE:Begin with a detailed formal analysis of the work. Describe in detail what it looks like, for example, how is it composed, foreground, middle ground, background? Describe the use of design techniques like balance and symmetry, analyze the techniques related to implied space as well as elements like color, texture, etc.Since you are not supplying a photo, just an essay, this description is the reader’s only experience with the work, so give the clearest description you can of what you see.Based on the lessons on Theme from the chapter in week three, assign a theme for your work. Choose one and advocate for that one even if you feel multiple themes might apply. Explain in detail why it is the best theme for your painting.Choose a work from the first three weeks of readings to compare your work to. This will help the reader to learn about your chosen painting by offering them a work that they already know and can readily refer to in the text. You can decide what to compare it to, maybe a work that is of the same style? same subject? different style? you decide.This outline is a guideline, you should write a single complete essay, not as a series of titled sections. FINAL CAUTION:Be wary of quoting the text or museum. This is your analysis not theirs, you may rely on the text from the museum as a starting point, but do not parrot their ideas back. Do not copy or quote passages of text from the museum into your essay. Plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated. Plagiarized papers will merit an “F” for the course and students will be written up on academic charges. This includes paraphrasing sources found on the web, in a magazine, journal, or book. Refer to the College's policy on plagiarism.CHOOSE ONE OF THESE PAINTINGS (ONLY ONE) AS YOUR TOPIC:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436083 (Links to an external site.)Haystacks: Autumn, ca. 1874, Jean-François Millethttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437097 (Links to an external site.)The Return of the Flock, c. 1886, Anton Mauvehttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/102977.html (Links to an external site.)In the Luxembourg Gardens, 1879, John Singer Sargenthttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/101764.html (Links to an external site.)Interior of a Tavern, 1886, Peter Severin Krøyerhttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/101699.html (Links to an external site.)Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata, 1430, Jan van Eyckhttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/102076.html (Links to an external site.)The Massacre of the Innocents, 1640, Pacecco de Rosahttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/69026.html (Links to an external site.)Arab Chief, 1874, Mariano Fortuny y Carbóhttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/102835.html (Links to an external site.)Nocturne, 1875, James Abbott McNeill Whistlerhttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/101799.html (Links to an external site.)Portrait of Elizabeth Farren, 1790, Sir Thomas Lawrencehttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436851 (Links to an external site.)The Siesta, ca. 1892, Paul Gauguinhttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436449 (Links to an external site.)Mother Feeding Child, 1898, Mary Cassatthttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/10403 (Links to an external site.)