Frick Museum paper

The museum paper is largely a task of careful, close, looking, and analyzing works you have seen first-hand. Think about what you can see “in reality” that you can’t see in a photo of it.

The paper is due on Wednesday, November 14th (If you are not in class that day, the paper is still due by the end of the day—by 3:50 in Main 210, that is, during the afternoon class).

Do NOT hand in the paper late. Should you delay, even a day, you will be dropped a grade.Don’t do this! (In an emergency, you may email the paper to me; that would be acceptable.)Once the papers are returned, Dr.H will no longer accept late papers. In that case, you will not pass the course this semester. You will be getting an INC or F.

The paper should be typed and be 3 pages of text (double-spaced, a medium-sized font——(about this size; this is Verdana 11).

Read all instructions completely.

The paper:

Have a cover page

In the first paragraph, introduce your choice – Provide artist’s name, titles, dates, size, medium, and subject. What is it you’re looking at?

This can be descriptive.

Then move to analyzing. (Do not keep repeating the description).

You may use the Met website or placard near the painting to get more information or understanding. This is fine.

You may look up information (text book is fine) about the period in which it was painted. How does it fit in to the period, or to the artist’s work? This will help you.However, if you use information from a source, please note it—OK to say: the Met’s website notes that this is the first example…

If you use a source and don’t cite it (mention it) then that is plagiarism

Not all questions below will make sense for every work.

Do not respond in Q&A format—just think about these.

**Consider the following

• LOOK at the painting –

What can you see / notice in person: look at surface / medium– Can you see the support? (wood, copper, canvas, etc.)

Can you tell what the support is even without looking at the museum card—what makes you know this?

What is the medium: oil, tempera, acrylic?

If there are figures–How is the human form articulated? What is happening?

How is color and light handled?

Distribution of color – quality and direction of light. How many colors? Can you see the brush strokes? (did the artist use a brush?)

• Point of view / use of perspective

follow edges of painting around figures / notice possible changes (pentimenti).

Be specific. Refer to the works, not your feelings about them.

Text 3 pages—not counting the title page!

“Do:”

• Be concise.

• Be sure the first sentence of each paragraph is a topic sentence.
• It should explain the subject of the paragraph and introduce it.
• All other sentences in the paragraph should relate to that.
• (If not, then it belongs in another paragraph –and even in another section.)

Do have a final paragraph that summarizes your findings

Some “Do Nots:”

• Do not include comments about why you chose the work.
• Do not jump from one point to another.
• Do not make long, meandering paragraphs.
• Do not just describe

Museum Paper Topics Fall 2018

Choose (1) one:

1.Hans Memling, Portraits of Tomaso and Maria Portinari, c.1470.

Northern Renaissance

–can choose either one

acc. #14.40.626–27 Gallery 641

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2.Peter Paul Rubens and workshop, Wolf and Fox Hunt, c.1616.

Flemish, Baroque

acc. #10.73 Gallery 628

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3.Jacques-Louis David, Death of Socrates, 1787.

French, Neo-Classicism

acc. # 31.45 Gallery 631

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4.Edo Peoples, Altar Tusk, 1888-97.
African, Benin

acc. #1991.17.104 Gallery 351

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5.Claude Monet, Haystacks (Effect of Snow and Sun), 1891.

French Impressionism

acc. # 29.100.109 Gallery 819

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6.Sam Gillian, Carousel State, 1968.

American, Color Field/Lyrical Abstraction

acc. # 2018.228 Gallery X