I. Introduction to Art History: The Bases of Art History

1. FORMAL ANALYSIS consists of the examination of subject matter, style (Elements of Art and Principles of Design) and medium of an art work:

A. Subject matter — themes, objects represented in the work of art.

B. Form and Composition refers to the visual aspects (Elements of Art) of a work of art including line, shape and form, color, texture, spatial qualities  and the way that they are organized in the work of art using Principles of Design. Style is the word used to describe the manipulation of those same visual elements line, shape, color, texture, spatial qualities etc. to create characteristic forms that can be recognized as belonging to a particular person, group or culture. Regional, cultural, historical, individual, and group (school) styles are the most commonly discussed. Stylistic preferences are the result of many factors such as geography, economics, societal patterns, politics, religion, and events of an epoch are some of the most obvious influences.

C. Material or Medium — materials out of which the work of art is made, e.g. stone, clay, various kinds of paint and the surfaces to which the paint is attached

2. HISTORICAL CONTEXT or factors affecting content historical, social, economic, psychological situation existing at the time of the works production.

We are going to discuss the following work in class to explore and explain what these terms mean:

Anon(ymous), Nude Woman, (“Venus” from Willendorf), Willendorf, Prehistoric Paleolithic, Limestone

II. What other questions are useful when examining a work of art?

1. Period (i.e.“How old is it?”) – historical era from which a work of art comes.

2. Where were the works of art originally found? Is this significant?

2. In painting and sculpture be able to discuss such issues as the function, the subject matter, the style (i.e. the placement of the figures, the figure style, color, texture, volume or illusion of volume, spatial systems, the degree of abstraction and realism. In architecture be able to discuss such issues as structure, site, function (symbolic or practical) etc.

3. How do these observations give insight into the societal structures of the cultural groups that produced the works of art and architecture?

Please note: All dates given are as aids in class, you do not need to memorize them for tests. However, it is important that you learn a basic chronology, you must know the PERIOD to which each work of art belongs e.g. The Sumerians come before the Persians etc.