The Writing Place

This type of paper involves looking at compositional elements of an object such as color, line, medium, scale, and texture. The goal of this kind of assignment it to demonstrate how these elements work together to produce the whole art object. When writing a formal analysis, ask yourself:

• What is the first element of the work that the audience’s eye captures?
• What materials were used to create the object?
• What colors and textures did the artist employ?
• How do these function together to give the object its overall aesthetic look?

• Describe the piece as if your audience has not seen it.
• Be detailed.
• The primary focus should be on description rather than interpretation.

Similar to a formal analysis, a stylistic analysis asks you to discuss a work in relation to its stylistic period (Impressionism, Fauvism, High Renaissance, etc.). These papers often involve a comparative element (such as comparing a statue from Early Antiquity to Late Antiquity). When writing a stylistic analysis, ask yourself:

• How does this work fit the style of its historical period? How does it depart from the typical style?
• What is the social and historical context of the work? When was it completed?
• Who was the artist? Who commissioned it? What does it depict?
• How is this work different from other works of the same subject matter?
• How have the conventions (formal elements) for this type of work changed over time?

• In a comparison, make a list of similarities and differences between the two works. Try to establish what changes in the art world may account for the differences.
• Integrate discussions of formal elements into your stylistic analysis.
• This type of paper can involve more interpretation than a basic formal analysis.
• Focus on context and larger trends in art history.

The key to writing a good art history paper involves relating the formal elements of a piece to its historical context.  Can you spot the errors in these sentences? What would make the sentences better?

1. “Courbet’s The Stone Breakers is a good painting because he uses texture.”
2. “Duchamp’s work is in the Dada style while Dali’s is Surrealist.”
3. “Pope Julius II commissioned the work.”
4. “Gauguin uses color to draw in the viewer’s eye.”

1. Generally, art history papers do not ask you to make a value judgment about the quality of a work, so there is no reason the writer should call the painting “good.” Furthermore, the writer does not specify what the texture of the painting is like. All paintings have texture, so the write must describe more carefully.
   1. Better: “Courbet’s The Stone Breakers is a radical painting because the artist used a palette knife to create a rough texture on the surface.”
2. If you are going to name the styles of different periods of art, you need to demonstrate that you understand the elements that make up that period.
   1. Better: “The use of everyday objects in Duchamp’s work reflects the Dada style while Dali’s incorporation of absurd images into his work demonstrates a Surrealist style.”
3. Although this writer somewhat helps the reader by stating who commissioned a particular work of art, other important information is missing. The sentence would be stronger if it included the date and purpose of the commission.
   1. Better: “In 1505, Pope Julius II commissioned the sculpture for his tomb.”
4. Almost all artists use color. Although the writer may have thought that stating “color” implied “bold” or “bright” color, these ideas need to be made explicit in the essay.
   1. Better: “The first element a viewer notices is the bold blue of the sky in Gauguin’s painting.”