One of the more traditional assignments that students encounter in an introductory Art History class is to analyze the stylistic qualities of an art object held in a museum collection and compare it to a variety of pieces that share a similar subject matter.
Visual Analysis PowerPoint Project
One of the more traditional assignments that students encounter in an introductory Art History class is to analyze the stylistic qualities of an art object held in a museum collection and compare it to a variety of pieces that share a similar subject matter. Students will be required to select one (1) painting that can be viewed digitally (a selection of which are provided in Blackboard) from the Lowe Art Museum on the University of Miami campus that has a very fine collection of Renaissance to Rococo period paintings donated by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation on permanent display in the Kress Wing.
Once having selected the painting from the Lowe’s digital collection, pay close attention to stylistic features (i.e., composition, color, use of light/shadow, perspective, figures, pose, gestures, et al). Describe the object and compare/contrast it to pieces we have studied in class, whether in the PowerPoint lectures or in the textbook. Be discerning when selecting objects to compare. That is, try to find pieces that share more characteristics than not. As a guide, a separate PDF that introduces students to the fundamentals of how to think about a Visual Analysis had been uploaded into Blackboard.
The aim of this assignment is for students to develop an eye for style and locate the subtle differences that distinguish one art movement or period from another. As such, organize the PowerPoint project in a logical, analytic fashion (i.e., chronologically). Conclude the paper with a slide that includes remarks about the significance of the object that became the centerpiece of the analysis — that is, how it fits into a larger art historical framework.
An approximate guideline for how many slides to include in the body of the presentation is fifteen to twenty (15-20). This includes slides that establish context and/or discuss technique; slides with pictures of the objects and analysis that is organized by bullets; comparison slides; and a slide that contains concluding remarks. At the end of the PowerPoint project, include an “Image Index” (essentially, equivalent to “Works Cited” or bibliography) that contains information (e.g., artist, title, date, materials, size, and collection) about each object and/or comparison. Examples of an Image Index are included at the end of each PowerPoint uploaded into the Blackboard units.
Submission of this PowerPoint project should be uploaded into Blackboard, rather than attached to an email or message.
Due Date: Sunday, September 27, 2020