Overview
FORMAL ANALYSIS PAPER
Pick one Asian or Islamic object/painting from local art museums (such as Detroit Institute of Art, Flint Institute of Art, and University of Michigan Museum of Art), course lectures, or readings, to write a 2-page paper (longer paper will not be accepted). You may use the websites of these institutions to search for a work for your paper. While you may use other artwork to support your argument, the essay should focus on one artwork. The purpose of this assignment is to have you confront one artwork, analyze it, and produce a lucidly written analysis. This is not a research paper per se. Instead, it is a formal analysis (a rigorous exercise in analyzing one work of art). It is necessary to back up your judgment using a specific reference to the art. In other words, you need to provide visual evidence. No further bibliographic research is necessary.
1. Visual engagement. Begin your discussion with an objective observation of the chosen work. Then, try to use the following questions to guide your analysis:
- What do you see?
- What struck you the most about this object?
- How would you relate this object to the things you encounter in everyday life or lectures? What are the differences and similarities among them?
- How would you describe the style of the object? Is the style naturalistic or abstract?
- What is the medium? Does the medium indicate anything about the status of the subject?
- How does technique [additive (clay) or subtractive (stone or wood)] affect form?
- How do the following contribute to the artist’s style? Scale, volume, mass versus void, silhouette, shape, texture, color, light, and line
2. Create a thesis. Try to create a list of visual points that compel you in some ways. Then, connect the relevant 2-3 points to craft a coherent argument or narrative, omitting the rest. Based on the selected points, develop a thesis (a major point you wish to make concerning the chosen piece), as this will result in a more robust and focused analysis. A solid, specific thesis will also force you to move beyond generic description to develop your argument in support of your thesis. Before you begin writing, think about how you will organize your analysis of the chosen work.
3. Develop visual points. The chosen visual points should become the supporting evidence of your thesis. You want to describe these points of your object in great detail to convince the reader of your argument. By doing so, you are not generalizing about art as a whole. Instead, a detailed description of your chosen work specifies your claim. You want to show your reader what you see. Here is the place where you can bring in a couple of examples for comparisons, which may highlight your main idea. Make sure that each point corresponds to your main idea.
4. Suggested organization. You may use the first paragraph to introduce your thesis, briefly mention the supporting points and signpost the overall organization. Then, use the following 2-3 paragraphs to present your visual evidence. Finally, you may use the concluding paragraph to summarize your findings and raise a research question.
criteria: 1) Thesis, 2) supporting visual points, and 3) quality (specificity, consistency, and logic) of the argument.