Discuss the reasons why this artwork was made and its meaning.

Formal Analysis Paper

The formal analysis paper assignment requires comparing and contrasting two culturally related works of art. It is a detailed visual description and examination of the artworks informed by the context of what you learned in class. This is not a research paper, but you are welcome to support your thesis statement with additional information beyond what was provided in the textbook and class discussions.

The artworks selected for you represent two historical civilizations:
Choice 2 – Islamic Art:

Write a detailed analysis of the following two artworks:

Behzad, A Poor Man Refuses Admittance to a Mosque, from a manuscript of the Boston of Sadi, from Herat. 1488-89 (image 9.23)

and

Ivory casket of al-Mughira from Cordoba, ca.960 (image 9.10)

This is a formal analysis paper, which means it is mainly a visual interpretation of the artworks with some contemplation of their possible intended purpose and meaning based on what you have learned in class thus far. A thesis statement is required, which is a sentence or two describing your ideas about what the potential meaning is/was of the artworks analyzed and how it is manifested stylistically. Your thesis statement and/or outline are due on Monday, May 2nd.

To get started with the visual description of the artwork, start by observation first. Describe what you are seeing. Your visual description should be as detailed as possible and include your response to the work. The subsequent information will be gained from reading the caption, which will/should provide the following basic information:

Artists name, if known
Materials
Place of origin
Date of origin

Formal analysis, also referred to as visual analysis, consists of focusing on the artworks formal elements, style, and technique. A helpful way to approach this assignment is to imagine you are describing the particular work of art to someone who has never seen it, but who would have a very good idea of how it looks after reading your paper. Start by noting down your first impressions, before reading the caption.

The formal analysis enables us to understand our own response to art as an audience, intended or not. Everything about what a work of art shows, what materials were used to make it, and its scale, composition, and color, among other aspects, determine what its possibly about.

Discuss the reasons why this artwork was made and its meaning. Please base this information on what you have learned in class interpreting it from your critical perspective.

Paper Format:

In writing your paper utilize the handouts we have discussed in class:

Artwork diagram
Elements of Art
Principles of Art

Your introductory first paragraph needs to include the following:

Which artworks you have chosen
Why you have chosen the particular works
Thesis statement

*** You are NOT required to include any references as this is not a research paper, but if you are using references, quotes, etc you must annotate everything correctly. ***

Please use the files I added for the essay!

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