Step 1 ( first paragraph)
Writing: Introduction
- Introduce your two works of art
- Give the title, artist, date, culture, size, medium
- Note: The titles of works of art should be: … throughout the essay ( choose one of the ways)
- Lead into your thesis statement: why did you chose this two objects?
Example Introduction
- This discussion/analysis/ will focus on/a comparison of Gustav Caillebotte’s “Paris Street: Rainy Day”, 1877, oil on canvas, 84” x 109”, Chicago Institute of Art with (name of other art work)
Step 2
Example Thesis Statement
- It is interesting that both Wood’s Weem’s Fable and Gentileschi’s Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes use the technique of a pulled back curtain, but in very different ways and to a very different effect.
- I chose these two objects because I found it interesting that…..
Step 3
Writing:
- A brief bio of each artist and a brief description of the context/ time/place in which the artist lived
- A brief overall description of each work or art imagine the person you are writing for cannot see the image
Example Brief Bio
- Caillebotte was a Fench artist who was painting/active in the 1800’s/19th He was/is associated with the Impressionists, but his approach to form and color was/is more classical and realistic than the impressionists.
- Interestingly, he was born into a wealthy family and did not need to sell his work. His work stayed with his family until the 1950s and therefore he was not well known.
Example Brief Description
- It is a large painting, measuring 2.39 by 1.85 meters. It shows a street scene in Paris in the 1800’s. It has been raining, or has recently stopped raining. A man and a woman walk out of the picture space towards the viewer. There is a strong sense of perspective in the composition.
Step 4 ( second paragraph )
Compare and Contrast
- Look for between 3 – 5 main areas where you will discuss the similarities and differences
- Don’t get overwhelmed- stick the main areas that stand out to you/really interest you
Comparing:
Point By Point
- Discusses how both artworks deal with one aspect: e.g. Composition for both artworks together, then moves on to the next point such as symbolism
- Example of Point by Point:
- X Composition, Y Composition
- X Use of color Y Use of Color
- X meaning, Y meaning
Making Connections
- Linking what you see with the context in which the work of art was produced
- Artists make choices
- What was going on in the world around the artist or the artist’s own life that might have affected the choices he/she made?
Step 5 ( conculsion )
Step 6 ( 5 APA citation)
