Museum Visit and Formal Analysis
e cannot overlook the role photography has played in the development of the field of art history and arts education as we know it today.
While it was once traditional for European painters to copy the great works of the “masters” in museums, photographs provided another option.
Now, many American artists study and may copy photos of original works in their own homes and studios and rarely see “masterworks” in person.
Photography is a fine art in its own right, and photographic imagery is often appropriated “as is” for modern creations.
Pablo Picasso’s collages ushered in a new era when he chose to incorporate printed newspapers and advertisements into some of his major works. We cannot deny, however, that photographs separate us from what’s real.
Photographs are not always good substitutes for the “real thing.” Why visit a museum when there are hundreds of “virtual galleries” available with the click of a button? Is art simply visual imagery, or is seeing or participating in art an essential human experience?
Step 1: Research
To begin to address these questions, you will visit a museum close to you and choose one painting to focus on (it can be from any time period and any style, but must be a painting).
Spend 30-45 minutes examining your chosen artwork, paying special attention to the formal elements and principles of design.
Also think about how these elements and principles may manifest themselves differently depending on whether you are viewing the original painting or an image of the painting (print or online).
For example, are elements such as color, texture, light, and canvas size understood the same way in both cases? Or if not, how do they differ?
You can use museum information on the painting (wall labels or website) as one of your three research sources. Use the Art Research Guide to find other sources about formal analysis and the pros and cons of viewing artwork in person, or about the specific artwork you chose.
If you are having difficulties visiting a museum or you require ADA Accommodations, please contact your instructor for alternate arrangements.
Step 2: Writing
In your written essay, be sure to include the visual elements and the principles of design discussed in the course and the textbook. You should not just write a description of these elements, but rather an analysis of them.
This means describing what the elements are and also explaining how they work to create a particular effect, mood, or meaning. Remember, this type of analysis requires you to stay objective.
You should not make critiques or judgments about the quality or beauty of the work (for example, do not use words like “great,” “brilliant,” or “bad”), but simply describe and analyze the formal elements.