Appendix</head>

APPENDIX

WEEK 1 THE ANALYSIS OF VISUAL ART

READING: Lee, S., Far Eastern Art, pp. 7-8. (See also worksheets for analysis immediately following)

TERMS:

WORKS FOR DISCUSSION:

Bronze Ritual Vessel (Gui)v - Late Shang Dynas ty, China (thirteenth to eleventh century B.C.) (La Plante, Fig.11.8)
High Priest - Indus Valley Culture, India, limestone, c. 2000 B.C. (La Plante, Fig.1.5)
The Great Stupa - at Sanchi, India, 3rd c. B.C.-1st c. B.C. (La Plante, Fig.3.2)
Horyu-ji - in Nara, Japan, 7th c. A.D. (La Plante, Fig.22.2)
Seated Buddha - Yungang Caves, China, stone, 5th c. B.C. (La Plante, Fig.13.4)
"A Solitary Temple Amid Clearing Peaks" - by Li Cheng, (d. 967 A.D.), hanging scroll, ink and slight color on silk, N. Song Dynasty, China (Fig. X.2--Hand-out)
"Mt. Fuji" - by Katsushika Hokusai, woodblock print, c.1850, Japan (LaPlante, Fig. 26.27)
"Waves at Matsushima" - by Nonomura Sotatsu, Pair of screens, ink, color, and gold on paper, Early Edo period, Japan. (La Plante, Fig.26.10)

In order to understand art, one must be able to analyze it. Analysis can be regarded as one of the five main stages in the discussion of art. The stages are:

1. Description

2. Analysis

3. History

4. Theory

5. Criticism
Description denotes the act of conveying what we see in the object of art: its subject matter, its color, shapes, proportions, space, texture and overall composition. Analysis includes description but takes it one more step--what is the purpose or intent of the artist? Analysis pre-supposes that all art is a question of choice, and seeks to find the motivation behind those choices.

In examining a work of art we can follow the choices made by the artist and suggest some of his/her motivations through study of subject matter in relation to the artist, culture, etc. All works of art are created at a particular time and place. Learning about the context--the patrons, the social and political situation, the position of the artist may lead to further understanding of the work.

The next step is interpretation: a comprehensive explanation of the genesis of the work of art in its time. Various methods of analysis developed both in art history and other disciplines--anthropology, psychology, history, literature, for instance--often provide a guide for interpretation.

The final step in looking at art is criticism--an evaluation of the success of the artist according to his/her own objectives and of the impact of the work on us a viewers. Our judgements are deeply colored by our own tastes and environment. Art has a life of its own and can speak to us and affect us thousands of years after it was created.

FURTHER READING:

Learning to Look

Writing About Art

FORMAL ANALYSIS GUIDES

A PROVISIONAL METHOD OF ANALYSIS: PAINTING (FICTIVE SPACE)

A. Description of Physical Object

1. Location (museum, temple, book, etc.)
2. Materials (support, ground, pigments, media, tools)
3. Technique (fresco, tempera, ink, water color, etc.)

B. Analysis of Design*: Arrangement of Areas on Surface

C. Analysis of Representation

1. Suggestion of Solids
2. Suggestion of Space

D. Analysis of Design: Arrangement of Solids in Space

E. Analysis of Expression

1. Subject matter
2. Interpretation by creator

F. Synth esis: Relation of Design, Materials, Technique, Expression

G. Factors of Influence

1. Geographic
2. Social
3. Political
4. Cultural
5. Religious, Belief sysem
6. Psychological
7. Economic
8. Technological
9. Historical

H. Criticism: Value Judgments

*Design in Painting is the application of principles of order(balance, harmony, sequence) to properties to two dimensional areas (pos ition, size, shape, tone, texture, transparency).

PROVISIONAL METHOD OF ANALYSIS: SCULPTURE IN THE ROUND (PERSONAL SPACE)

A. Description of Physical Object

1. Location
2. Description

B. Analysis of Structure

1. Materials
2. Tools
3. Technique (carving, modeling, casting, etc.)
4. Use of light, scale, empathy

C. Analysis of Design*

1. Mass
2. Surface
3. Contour

D. Analysis of Representation

1. Relation of figure to block
2. Relation of figure to space
3. Articulation

E. Analysis of Expression

1. Subject matter
2. Interpretation of creator

E. Synthesis: Relation of Design, Structure, Expression

G. Factors of Influence

1. Geographical
2. Social
3. Political
4. Cultural
5. Religious, Belief system
6. Psychological
7. Economic
8. Technological
9. Historical

H. Criticism: Value Judgments

*Design in Sculpture in the Round is the application of principles of order (balance, harmony, sequence) to properties of three dimensional form (position, size, shape, tone, texture, transpanency).

PROVISIONAL METHOD OF ANALYSIS: ARCHITECTURE (SOCIAL SPACE)

A. Description of Physical Object: Characteristics which distinguishes it from others

1. Location
2. Materials
3. Technique
4. Use of light, scale, empathy

B. Analysis of Design*

1. Main plan - location and orientation, types of accomodation and circulation provided by the designer
2. Mass - and its salient penetrations and projections
3. Interior and Exterior space - the relationship between them, and other mass-space relationships of significance

C. Structure

1. Materials, tools, techniques
2. Principles of construction

D. Synthesis: Relation of Design and Structure - Do mass-space relationships of the design truly and immediately express the materials and principles of construction employed? If not, why not?

E. Factors of Influence

1. Geographic
2. Social
3. Political
4. Cultural
5. Religion, Belief System
6. Psychological
7. Economic
8. Technological
9. Historical

F. Appreciation and Influence: Value Judgements

*Design in Architecture: the application of principles of order (balance, harmony, sequence) to properties of three-dimensional form (position, size, shape, tone, texture, transparency).

SAMPLE HOUR EXAMINATION
Exam 1: January 30 (5:45-6:45 PM)
Exam 2: March 13 (5:45-6:45 PM)
Exam 3: April 24 (5:45-6:45 PM)

Part I: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Five terms will be listed. You will be asked to define four of them. (5 points each)

2. Identification of key works. You will be asked to identify each work by title, artist, location (architecture), culture of origin, medium, patron and approximate date (millenium or century), and to answer a question based on each work. (10 points each)

Part II: ESSAY QUESTIONS

3. Two essays. Views of known works of art will be shown. You will be asked to identify the work by title, culture, period, and artist (if known) and patron and to discuss the object in relation to religion, to patronage, to the social, political setting of its making. In the first exam you will be asked questions based on art works of the same culture of origin. In the second and third, you will be asked to compare two works cross cultures. (30 points each)

REMINDER: Your goal is to answer the specific questions which are asked, not merely to tell us everything you remember about the particular work of art shown. A good essay has an introduction, followed by presentation of evidence, and a conclusion. Stop to organize before you write.

EXAMINATIONS:

Exam 1: January 30 (5:45-6:45 PM)

Exam 2: March 13 (5:45-6:45 PM)

Exam 3: April 24 (5:45-6:45 PM)

204 Frick Fine Arts Bldg.

Make-up exams will be given only if the instructor is notified of an absence 24 hours before the regularly scheduled exam. Notes from doctors are expected in the case of illness. There is no make-up exam for the third exam.