The goal is for you to develop your own original idea based on your research and visual observation of the artwork you have already written about. For this paper, your thesis will be based on a combination of your research and the artwork’s formal elements. You can include, iconography, symbolism, historical information, biography, etc. However, the research and the formal analysis should guide your thesis. You will lose points if your paper includes irrelevant information that does not support your thesis.
This paper is 3 to 4 pages long. It should be titled, have 1-inch margins on all sides, and use a standard font no larger than 12 pt (translating into approximately 750 to 1000 words). It should also be free of grammatical errors and have proper punctuation, capitalization, and italics.
Make sure the paper includes the following:
1. A thesis statement (an argument) developed by you from the research you gather and the visual information in the artwork. impact the viewer and enhance meaning in the work. Please underline your thesis statement in the first paragraph.
2. An overall description of the artwork so the reader can form a picture of it in their mind‘s eye. (Focus on what the artwork looks like instead of subject matter).
3. A detailed analysis of the formal characteristics of the work and how it relates to the information you have uncovered.
4. Use your own words. Try not to use direct quotes in this very short paper. However, you still need to cite the ideas.
5. Bibliography and citations in any style, but please be consistent.
6. Title, Artist, Year of the painting. The title of the painting should be italicized.
I’ve included a screenshot of the example essay below.