ESSAY:

Format:

In the first half of your essay (2-3 pages), word count at least 800, you should describe and analyze the formal and technical aspects of your chosen work. You should spend at least one hour looking at your work and writing about what you see.

Purpose:

The purpose of the assignment is to train your observation, research, and writing skills. You will learn how to look at and describe a work of art, paying attention to its different formal features. You will learn how to distinguish peer-reviewed sources, and how to properly cite them in your work through footnotes and a bibliography. You will hone your writing skills, which will serve you in all your humanities and social sciences courses at the UO, and in your professional lives once you finish your degree.

Task:

You will write a paper on ONE work of Euro-Western art (European or North American) completed between 1600 and 1980 of your choosing from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, accessible through the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ (Links to an external site.). Your chosen work should NOT be one that is illustrated in the textbook or discussed in class, but it should be associated with one of the art movements covered in class. The Heilbrunn Timeline allows you to narrow your search according to time period and geographic region. If you would like to write your paper on a work of art that is not in the Met’s collection, you are welcome to, but please get your GE’s approval before you begin to make sure the work falls within the parameters of the class.

Your essay will consist of two primary components, (1) a visual analysis and (2) a research dimension.

In the first half of your essay (2-3 pages), you should describe and analyze the formal and technical aspects of your chosen work. You should spend at least one hour looking at your work and writing about what you see.

Essay Grading Rubric:

The following three categories are equally weighted

Organization: Your essay should have an introduction and conclusion. The body of your essay should have a formal analysis and research component. You should have a complete bibliography of your sources and proper footnotes (see guide in expanded rubric on canvas, which will be covered in Week 5 Section), appendix of images, and you should proofread and spellcheck your work. Your essay should be 5-6 pages, double spaced in 12 pt times new roman font, without footnotes, bibliography, or images.

Visual Analysis: You should provide a complete formal description of your work of art in the body of your essay. Pay attention to line, color, form, and iconography.

Research: You must consult at least 3 peer-reviewed sources and are also encouraged to use primary sources to develop your discussion of the work in its historical context. Your sources may include assigned readings from class, excluding the textbook. Internet sources are not acceptable unless they are peer-reviewed journals, i.e. articles from JSTOR, etc. that you source from the UO library catalogue. Books should be published by university presses, or academic presses such as Ashgate, Zone Books, Reaktion, Routledge, etc.

You must cite all ideas that are not your own, even if you do not directly quote a source. My preference is that you use Chicago style for your references. If you are not familiar with this style, please consult: http://researchguides.uoregon.edu/citing-plagiarism/chicagoLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and all accounts of plagiarism will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. If in doubt, always cite it. To ascertain that you are not plagiarizing in your written work, please consult: http://researchguides.uoregon.edu/citing-plagiarismLinks to an external site.Links to an external site.

Late Policy for Essay: The penalty for late research papers is a 5% deduction per day, unless you have a medical or personal emergency, or unforeseeable circumstances related to COVID-19 that prevent you from submitting your work on time.