English Homework Help

For this step in the research assignment process, you will formulate a thesis statement and then develop an outline for your research paper. The thesis should advance a specific argument about your artwork. 

Your outline and paper will consist of five sections:

Introductory Paragraph with THESIS STATEMENT

Formal Analysis of your artwork   (refer back to thesis statement)  

Iconography of your artwork (refer back to thesis statement)

Iconology of your artwork (refer back to thesis statement)

Summary Paragraph with reiteration of thesis statement

1. Introductory Paragraph – Identify your artwork and state your thesis.
2. Formal Analysis – Description and analysis of the work in your own words:

 Detailed formal description of the works, moving from the general to the specific (Analysis: breaking the whole into parts for understanding.) Include elements and principles of design: subject, lines, medium, color, light, space, composition, scale, and technique.  Ask and answer: How does the art work in formal terms?

1. Iconography

 Discussion of the content, symbolism and meaning of the work as conveyed through its formal elements.  Include information about what story or idea the object depicts.

1. Iconology (Contextual Analysis) – Synthesis – Thesis of paper: SO WHAT factor

• Discussion of period style revealed in the form of the artwork and contextualization of the object in a specific movement/era. Thesis communicates to viewer how to see and experience the artworks.

Your synthesis should make clear the relevance of THIS WORK.  Your reader should understand why it is meaningful and useful to study the work and form discussions around it.

1. Summary Paragraph – Reiterate your thesis.