Art history : Fountain Essays

For this paper assignment you must visit a major museum in Southern California and select two paintings currently on view, from time periods and locations we are studying in this course, created by two different artists, to compare and contrast in order to elucidate the paintings’ meanings. In making your selection, you should look for two paintings that are similar in content (subject matter) but dissimilar in form (style). Your objective will be to make some claims for how the formal properties of the paintings produce different meanings and/or evoke contrary moods. This assignment requires you to conduct detailed formal analyses of the two paintings and is not research-based. You are to compare and contrast the formal properties of the work: the composition and the arrangement of forms, color choices and combinations, the quality and types of line and shape used, the manner of paint application and the use of brushstrokes, the massing of volumes in space, rendering of perspective, etc. Please refer to the accompanying document “AHIS 2 Paper Guidelines” (posted in this module) for a detailed discussion of how to successfully accomplish the task at hand. Be sure that your paper includes an introduction with a strong argumentative thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A clever title is always advised as well. (Many more writing tips are included in the Guidelines.) Your paper must be a minimum of 3 full pages and no more than 4 full pages, typed and doublespaced with one-inch margins. Number your pages and use 12-point Times New Roman font. You may include references to information from the assigned readings, with proper citations, where necessary, and a Works Cited page (following MLA or the Chicago Manual of Style). Additional research is not required. Please use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Proofread your paper before submission. You must include a scan/photograph of your proof of museum visit (a ticket or selfie) and reproductions of the paintings that you are analyzing. Deviating from these guidelines will adversely impact your grade. If you are not sure whether the two paintings you have selected meet the paper criteria, please email me for approval. In your email include the name of the museum where you saw the paintings and the title, artist, and date of each painting.

High school level. Please cite and quote properly.