Foundations Scholarship: Art History Analysis Assignment

Please use the following template when finalizing your Art History analysis assignment as part of your Foundations Merit Scholarship application:

Art Analysis Worksheet

Choose an object and analyze it through these four basic steps:

1. Describe
2. Analyze
3. Interpret
4. Evaluate
5. Historical Precedence

 

Describe

• What is depicted and how is it depicted? (objects depicted, medium, size, 2D or 3D, technique, etc.)
  • Title of Work:
  • Creator (if known):
  • Date and/or Period/Style:
  • Medium and/or Technique:
  • Size, 2/D or 3/D:
• Provide a URL for your work or include an image
• What do you see in the work? Please describe what is shown in the chosen work of art or design in detail here.

 

Analyze

THIS SHOULD BE THE LONGEST PART OF YOUR ANALYSIS WORKSHEET

Discuss the ELEMENTS OF ART (line, shape, form, color-hue/value/saturation, texture and pattern, space, light and value, composition, etc.) and PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN (balance-symmetry and asymmetry, proportion and scale, rhythm, emphasis and subordination, unity and variety, movement, contrast, etc.)

• Choose 5 elements of art to describe from your artwork. Think about how the creator uses these elements in the work of art/design. Consider how the elements work together to create the artwork.
• Choose 5 principles of design to describe from your artwork. Think about how the creator uses these principles in the work of art/design. How do they work with the elements of art you already discussed?

Resources

• More information on the formal elements of art
• More information on the principles of design

 

Interpret

• What might the content or meaning(s) of this artwork be, considering the visual structures, style(s), and subject matter you described above and through analysis?
• Why do you think this work was made?
• What is the artist trying to communicate?
• What signs/symbols does the artist employ to communicate this message?
• What do these signs/ symbols mean within their time period/ style?

 

Evaluate

• What is the style (or styles) used in this artwork?
• Is the style (or styles) associated with a specific movement or trend in the history of art from when the artwork was made?
• If the style (or styles) do not correspond to the popular trends of the time period in which it was made, how does it differ?

 

Historical Precedence

• Does this piece recall one or more previous works of art or design? How and why?
• Does it reflect or reject a traditional treatment of the subject? How and why?
• Does it introduce a new subject to the history of art? How and why?
• Does it contain visual aspects typical of a previous artistic period/style?  How and why?
• What does this piece tell us about the time period in which it was created?