ecoration and Texture: What do the decorations/patterns look like? Where are the patterns located? How do the patterns relate to the shape of the object and engage with viewers? Does the object evoke a sense of touch?

Visual analysis addresses the features of an object/artwork that we can see. Use concrete visible features of the work that weve talked about, such as form, materials, shape, color, and decorations, to ground your observations. It is important to note that the description of what you see is not the end goal of the writing exercise. The writing process is designed to help you transform your visual observations into a critical analysis of the artworks visual and material features, allowing us to understand how the object was created and used, how it engages with different viewers and users, and why this is important.
Some of the visual and material qualities to consider include:
o Material: Is it stone? Wood? Clay? Is it heavy or light? Is it sturdy or fragile? Is it rare or common?
o Technique: How was it made? Was the making process time/labor consuming?
o Size and Scale: Is it a human scale? Is it a miniature? How does it relate to viewers, to the original environment where it was found?
o Form/Shape: What kind of form does the object have? Symmetrical or asymmetrical? Abstract or representational/figural? Geometric or organic? Hollow or solid? The list can go on.
o Iconography (especially with pictorial/sculptural works): what does the work depict? What subject/scene/motif is this?
o Decoration and Texture: What do the decorations/patterns look like? Where are the patterns located? How do the patterns relate to the shape of the object and engage with viewers? Does the object evoke a sense of touch?
o Color and Pigments: Is it colored? With what? What color is it? Does the color represent any symbolic meaning?
o Function: How might it have been used in the original context? How do the visual features assist or hamper the fulfillment of its function?

ART OBJEST: Pair of Tomb Chamber Doors Date:
Western Han dynasty (206 B.C.A.D. 9), 1st century B.C.
Artist:
China; probably from Zhengzhou, Henan province
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/12786/pair-of-tomb-chamber-doors

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