Essay prompt:

We have explored several categories of “subject matter,” including:  

· Landscape

· History

· Portraiture

· Genre

· Still Life

How are these categories of subject matter different from each other?

And what are some of the reasons artists produce works of art within these categories of subject matter?

Choose two categories of subject matter to compare  as you respond to these questions.

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Below is an example of how you might begin to think about this essay prompt.

If I was a student in our class and I wanted to write about landscape and portraiture, I might ask myself the following:

· How do the differences between landscapes produced by Vincent van Gogh and Jiang Shijie demonstrate that the artists had different reasons for making landscape imagery?

· How do the differences between the portraits of Isidora, Frida Kahlo, and the Empress Theodora indicate that the artists who made those portraits had different reasons for making them? (On the other hand, you may wish to explore the similarities in these portraits, asking, What do these three works of art have in common? Also, do the similarities between these portraits suggest that the artists had similar reasons for making them?)

· What is fundamentally different about landscape and portraiture? In other words, why would we not categorize Van Gogh’s landscape painting as a portrait? Why would we not categorize Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair as a landscape?

The writing exercises are designed to help you write your own history of art by analyzing sources.

The art, documents, technique videos, and readings posted in the ARTS 1A modules comprise the sources you need to complete your midterm exercise. See below:

· Choose five works of art from Topics 1 through 5

· Choose at least one primary source document from Topics 1 through 5

· Choose at least one technique video from Topics 1 through 5

· Choose at least one secondary source reading from Topics 1 through 5.

Avoid doing online or library research to complete this essay. (Doing research will not earn you points.) Instead, build on the skills you are learning each week as you analyze art, documents, technique videos, and readings.

1. This is an exercise, not a formal paper. You will very likely do well on this assignment if you follow the instructions carefully.

2. Avoid trying to write a fancy introduction and conclusion. Instead, in your introduction describe what you plan to accomplish with your paper. In your conclusion, ask, Did I accomplish what I set out to do? Write your essay in complete sentences and organize your sentences into paragraphs for clarity.

3. Write in your own voice and from your own perspective. Use the pronoun “I”.  Write an essay only you can write.

4. Write about each of the five works of art you choose in detail. Describe the visual aspects of each and include the title and the name of the artist.

5. As you write about documents, spotlight on technique videos, and readings, quote from them directly and call attention to your thinking process, explaining why you chose to use them. Integrate your analysis of works of art with the documents, spotlight on technique videos, and readings you choose. You do not have to footnote your sources or include a bibliography, since we are all using sources found in our course materials since this is an exercise and not a formal paper.

6. This is not a research paper. You are discouraged from going beyond the parameters of our class materials to write this exercise. So be careful: if you use resources from outside our class modules, you need to call attention to them with footnotes and provide a bibliography. Any uncredited ideas you borrow from other writers will result in an F grade on this assignment.

7. There is no required “length” for this exercise. You will likely receive full credit if you explore the prompt thoroughly and clearly as you analyze at least five works of art discussed in class in conjunction with at least one document, spotlight on technique video, and reading.

8. If you do not understand the essay prompt or have questions about any aspect of this assignment, contact me.

Rubric

Up to 15 points:  Detailed analysis of five or more works of art discussed in the modules Up to 3 points:    Use of one or more documents discussed in the modules Up to 3 points:    Use of one or more spotlight on technique videos discussed in the modules  Up to 3 points:    Use of one or more reading exercises discussed in the modules Up to 3 points:    Clarity of communication Up to 3 points:    Thoroughness in answering the essay prompt

Total: 30 points