Formal Analysis

ASSIGNMENT — DIRECTIONS: Formal analysis (read this before anything below it in this module)
Please first read the excerpt of an article from Dr. Robert Glass. Then carefully review the two demonstration videos. Be sure to take notes of all the important terminology (formal characteristics) that is introduced in the videos.

A \”Formal\” analysis is just a visual analysis using specific terminology. Therefore, for your assignment, you will be doing a formal analysis of a famous fresco by Raphael. You should do this in precisely the same way as you see in the two demonstration / \”how to\” videos. This is a graded assignment, so here is how I will assess your work. (This assignment is more challenging, so it is worth 100 points instead of 50). The rubric I use is attached to the assignment and is based on these categories:

Length: To meet the minimum, you need at least three paragraphs (with at least five to eight sentences each). But if it\’s the grade of \”A\” you are seeking, doing the minimum will never get you there. A \”satisfactory\” grade in college-level classes is a \”C.\”

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Use of terminology: This is both quantitative and qualitative. I am interested in both the number of terms you are able to employ in your formal analysis, but also your explanation of how those formal characteristics function within the piece. Do it just like in the practice videos.
Independence: This should be your work 100%. No research is required or necessary; that comes later. This is not a research assignment. We are concentrating on only what the eye can see, not historical or biographical context. So that you have more details about the painting (like who is pictured), an article accompanies the painting–and certain parts of the painting are pictured separately so you can see this huge fresco \”zoomed in\” in more detail. Again, all you need to do this assignment is the terminology you learned from the demonstration videos and the basic terminology lecture, the painting itself, and the article that explains the painting.
Quality of Analysis: Here I am looking at the complexity of your thought process. So lets say you write that the receding diagonal is important. But do you explain why that matters, i.e. the technique\’s larger function within the piece?
Quality of writing: Adhere to Standard American English. Avoid cliches, wordiness, grammar and punctuation errors, etc. Stay in the present tense when analyzing art.
Do not attach a \”Word\” file (or any other file). Sure, you can type your post in a word processor if you like, but in the end, copy/paste your post to the discussion board itself instead of attaching a file.

https://smarthistory.org/introduction-to-art-historical-analysis/
video 1: https://smarthistory.org/visual-analysis/
video 2: https://smarthistory.org/art-historical-analysis/
Article (excerpt): Introduction to Formal Analysis (by Dr. Robert Glass)
Art as visual experience
\” Most art is visually compelling. While materials and technique determine the range of what is possible, the final appearance of a work is the product of numerous additional choices made by the artist. An artist painting a portrait of a woman in oil on canvas must decide on the size and shape of the canvas, the scale of the woman and where to place her, and the types of forms, lines, colors, and brushstrokes to use in representing the sitter and her surroundings. In a compelling work of art, myriad variables such as these and others come together to create an engaging visual experience.

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Visual (formal) analysis
Art historians use visual analysis to describe and understand this experience. Often called formal analysis because it focuses on form rather than subject matter or historical context, this typically consists of two parts: description of the visual features of a work and analysis of their effects. To describe visual properties systematically, art historians rely on an established set of terms and concepts. These include characteristics such as format, scale, composition, and viewpoint; treatment of the human figure and space; and the use of form, line, color, light, and texture.

In describing visual qualities, formal analysis usually identifies certain features as contributing to the overall impression of the work. For example, a prominent linear form might suggest strength if straight and vertical, grace or sensuality if sinuous, or stability and calm if long and horizontal. Sharp contrasts in light and dark may make an image feel bold and dramatic whereas subdued lighting might suggest gentleness or intimacy. In the past, formal analysis assumed there was some elementary level of universality in the human response to visual form and tried to describe these effects. Today, the method is understood as more subjective, but still valued as a critical exercise and means of analyzing visual experience, especially in introductory art history courses. \”

EXCERPTED FROM

Glass, Robert. \”Introduction to art historical analysis.\” Smarthistory, October 28, 2017. https://smarthistory.org/introduction-to-art-historical-analysis/ (Links to an external site.).

Art for analysis assignment (pictures and article) — THIS IS THE PAINTING YOU WILL ANALYZE FOR THIS WEEK\’S ASSIGNMENT
If you have not yet watched the two demonstration videos that precede this item in the module, close this page and back up to those. What follows will make no sense whatsoever if you haven\’t read the article excerpt by Dr. Glass plus watched the two demonstration videos.

This is the painting over which you will attempt your own formal (visual) analysis–just like you saw in the two demonstration videos. I do not like all the ads that pop up on this web page, and I almost ditched the entire article as a result. I retained it because it provides not only good information about the painting, but also several \”closeup\” shots of critical parts of the work. Remember this is a huge work of art; it takes up an entire wall at over 16 by 25 feet. Also remember that (just like Creation of Adam) it is a fresco–but on a wall this time and not a ceiling.

Art for analysis assignment (pictures and article) — THIS IS THE PAINTING YOU WILL ANALYZE FOR THIS WEEK\’S ASSIGNMENT
If you have not yet watched the two demonstration videos that precede this item in the module, close this page and back up to those. What follows will make no sense whatsoever if you haven\’t read the article excerpt by Dr. Glass plus watched the two demonstration videos.

This is the painting over which you will attempt your own formal (visual) analysis–just like you saw in the two demonstration videos. I do not like all the ads that pop up on this web page, and I almost ditched the entire article as a result. I retained it because it provides not only good information about the painting, but also several \”closeup\” shots of critical parts of the work. Remember this is a huge work of art; it takes up an entire wall at over 16 by 25 feet. Also remember that (just like Creation of Adam) it is a fresco–but on a wall this time and not a ceiling.

This is a link to a picture of a painting: The School of AthensArt for analysis assignment (pictures and article) — THIS IS THE PAINTING YOU WILL ANALYZE FOR THIS WEEK\’S ASSIGNMENT
If you have not yet watched the two demonstration videos that precede this item in the module, close this page and back up to those. What follows will make no sense whatsoever if you haven\’t read the article excerpt by Dr. Glass plus watched the two demonstration videos.

This is the painting over which you will attempt your own formal (visual) analysis–just like you saw in the two demonstration videos. I do not like all the ads that pop up on this web page, and I almost ditched the entire article as a result. I retained it because it provides not only good information about the painting, but also several \”closeup\” shots of critical parts of the work. Remember this is a huge work of art; it takes up an entire wall at over 16 by 25 feet. Also remember that (just like Creation of Adam) it is a fresco–but on a wall this time and not a ceiling.

This is a link to a picture of a painting: The School of Athens https://mymodernmet.com/school-of-athens-raphael/

SAMPLE SOLUTION

Formal Analysis
The composition of the canvas is commendable. The two main figures, Plato and Aristotle, are positioned directly under the archway and in the vanishing | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | that aims at drawing the attention of the viewer to the most crucial part of the work. The two figures effectively represent the different schools of philosophy. The elderly gentleman on the left is Plato and beside him is his | PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW AT writtask.com | his finger to the sky, which might indicate his theory of forms. Aristotle, on the other hand, reaches his right arm directly out toward the viewers which probably represent his strong belief that experience is the foundation of…