Summary

Write a 1.5 – 2 page analytical paper on one work of art from any period of art history from 35,000 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.

that you directly observed on the class museum visit to the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

OR: Create a video that answers all of these questions listed in this assignment handout. The video should be no longer than 5-7 minutes, appropriate for a college classroom, and in a digital format that is easy to access online or via

Canvas. Late work policies will apply, also if technical difficulties are to blame. The bibliography should also be included either in the video credits or as a separate paper.

Instrucons

1. Attend the class museum visit to the Legion of Honor at 2 (group 1) or 2:15 (group 2) on Friday, April 19.

2. Study the examples of art on display at the museum that date to between 35,000 B.C.E. and 500 C.E.

3. Choose one of the following prompts to respond to:

Choose one work of art. Explain how the artist uses different elements and principles of design to

communicate an ideal of beauty. What characteristics of this ideal beauty make it unique? How does this ideal reflect the values of the culture for which the work of art was made?

Examine two works of art from the same culture and period. Citing formal details in both, explain how this artist uses different elements and principles of design in a distinctive way to reflect a period style.

Choose one work of art. What does it communicate about identity, gender, or sexuality? Explain how the artist uses different elements and principles of design to communicate this message. How does this

message reflect the values of the person or culture for whom the work of art was made?

Choose one work of art that presents the viewer with symbols or iconography. With reference to the

elements and principles of design, describe the appearance of 2-3 of these symbols, what they each mean individually, and how they contribute to the overall theme or message of the work. Hint: You will need to do some research or consult your instructor for guidance in answering this question. Be sure to cite your sources.

Choose one work of art that portrays an important historical event. Explain how the artist uses the

elements and principles of design to offer an interpretation of this historical moment. Do you find this work of art a reliable historical “record” or “source”? Why or why not? Hint: You will need to do some research or consult your instructor for guidance in answering this question. Be sure to cite your sources.

Introduction and Objectives Instructions Check Your Work Citation Style Guidelines Grading

4/24/2019 6.5 Museum Visit Paper plus up to 20 points extra credit (turn in your work here)

https://ccsf.instructure.com/courses/23824/assignments/210318#submit 2/5

Choose one work of art that you consider political. Explain how the artist’s use of the elements and

principles of design to render their chosen subject in a way that reflects political status or power. Hint: You will need to do some research or consult your instructor for guidance in answering this question. Be sure to cite your sources.

Choose one work of art that takes religion or spirituality as its theme or was created for a religious/spiritual

context. How does the artist use the elements and principles of design to represent the ideas, stories, or

symbols of religion? Hint: You will need to do some research or consult your instructor for guidance in answering this question. Be sure to cite your sources.

Craft your own prompt. This prompt must be approved by the instructor at least a week prior to the outline deadline.

4. While in the museum, take notes on the work(s) of art you will write about:

The prompt I will address is…

Name of artist/region…

Title of work…

Date of the work…

The work is located on floor/in gallery…

Materials used in the work…

Elements of design I notice in the work…

Principles of design I notice in the work…

Notes about how my eye travels through the work…

Working thesis statement in response to prompt…

5. Structure your notes into a paper (or video) that answers the following aspects of your chosen prompt:

Thesis: what do you want to say in this paper? The thesis should clearly and succinctly state what you aim for your analysis to show your reader about the artwork. A good thesis statement might be your

interpretation of what an artwork aims to show (its theme or meaning), not whether you think the artwork is good or bad. Be sure to include the title of the works and the names of the artists in your paper.

Form/Visual Analysis: Describe the formal qualities of the works using terminology from our lessons on

the elements and principles of art. What do you see? Which elements and principles of design do you

recognize in the work? Be as specific as possible, but focus on details that are most important to

answering your chosen prompt. These formal qualities are the “evidence” upon which you base your

argument. You should be able to support your thesis through your description of the various formal aspects of the works of art. Tip: Be sure to not only use the terms, but show your reader that you know what they mean. An easy way to do this is to use commas or parentheses directly after the term to include a brief

definition.

Historical Background, Meaning and Evaluation: Offer an original analysis of the work in response to

your chosen prompt. Explain how formal qualities present an idea or style or explain how these formal

qualities communicate a message about a specific theme or concept. Why is this work of art historically,

personally, or creatively significant? Why should we care about it? This part should answer the question all papers should answer: “So what?”

6. Format your paper. The paper should be double spaced, Times New Roman (or similar), size 12 font, with 1-

1.5 inch margins, and no longer than two pages (images and your bibliography/works cited list can be on a third page). Include your name and a title for the paper.

7. Check your essay against the grading rubric provided below. You should also ask yourself the following general questions:

Critical thinking and effort: Does your paper reflect that you took the prompt seriously? Do you stay on

topic, present an original thesis, and construct a logical argument?

Reflection, revision, clarity: Do you explain your statements using evidence from the work of art and

history? Do you avoid leaving statements such as “It was a beautiful painting” unexplained? Do you re-

4/24/2019 6.5 Museum Visit Paper plus up to 20 points extra credit (turn in your work here)

https://ccsf.instructure.com/courses/23824/assignments/210318#submit 3/5

ART 101 sp18 Museum Paper

Please read through all the sections above before you click “Next”

read and rework your ideas?

Engagement: Do you try to draw connections between your ideas and class discussions/readings? Do you reference reliable, scholarly sources? Do you cite the literature you reference?

Timeliness and organization: Do you write in complete sentences and organize these sentences into

coherent paragraphs? Is your paper complete? Will you turn it in on time?