The work of art must date between 1600 and 1730 and in the Museum of Fine Arts,
The work of art must date between 1600 and 1730 and in the Museum of Fine Arts, in Houston Texas. Write a complete description of the piece (a formal analysis)
10% Clear thesis
10% Correct endnote and title formatting
60% Effective formal analysis that uses visual evidence to prove the thesis
20% Paper discusses the object’s connection to issues addressed in class.
More instructions to follow
1. Titles of artworks are italicized only. Example: Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ.
2. Avoid the first person or personal anecdotes regarding the painting, (don’t say, “This painting means a lot to me,” or “I love this portrait because it looks like my grandma,” or even, “I think this painting….” Instead, just say “This painting conveys….”). Focus on the intention of the artist, not on your personal response to the work, and back up your claims with evidence.
3. Avoid exaggerated proclamations such as “greatest,” “incredibly beautiful,” etc., such as “This artist is one of the greatest artists living in Italy at the end of the 16th century.” Instead, make sure your claims are placed within a cultural context. “Early critics of the artist’s work believed it to beautifully portray theological ideas.”
4. Don’t plagiarize. If you use more than three words from any source, put those words in quotations and cite it. You do not need to cite my PowerPoints in the units. You may assume that material from the class PowerPoints’ is common knowledge. You must cite your textbook if you use it. You may use AI or ChatGPT, however, you will unlikely earn more than a D. While AI can help give you ideas, it isn’t able to meet the assignment criteria of linking ideas to the course. Be sure to edit any AI material to meet the objectives of the assignment. AI isn’t effective at writing formal analyses because it can’t answer why the artist made the choices they did, it can only describe. You will need to edit the description to create an argument that supports your thesis.
5. When making a citation, use endnotes formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style (see link below for examples). Endnotes appear at the end of the paper, not at the bottom of each individual page.
6. Once you have given the artist’s full name, then use only his last name in the following paragraphs. Pay attention to how scholars treat the name in the articles that you use for your research or in your textbook.
7. Be consistent with your verb tenses. When describing or referring to a work of art, use the present tense, otherwise use the past tense. Avoid going back and forth between verb tenses in a single paragraph unless you are talking simultaneously about the work of art (present tense) and its cultural context (past tense).
8. Use as few words as you can to make your point. Edit!! Use the thesaurus link in Word to help you to find precise words. Be mindful of how you use language. It can help to read your work out loud. Don’t try to sound academic. It is better to be more conversational in style. Don’t think of me as your audience. Write as if you are teaching someone in junior high school and explain yourself as simply as possible. Don’t try to sound smart.
