For this assignment you are to choose a local museum (see the list on the back of this page)

to visit on your own time. While you are there, you will need to choose one artwork dated

after the year 1400 that you are interested in and answer these questions in a 3-4 page

essay written in 12-point double-spaced type:

I chose LACMA

thisis the link for the paintingI chose

http://collections.lacma.org/node/2071489

1) What attracted you to this particular artwork? Remember to state the name of the artist,

title, and date. Please italicize art titles.

2) Give a contextual analysis by answering the following questions: What period and

culture is it from? Why was the artwork originally made? Is there an obvious message

(i.e. political, social, religious)? You may include brief biographical information about

the artist if it adds to the contextual analysis, but this is not a biographical paper.

You will be expected to use concepts, vocabulary and ideas used in your readings and

in class lectures. You may use the information provided by the museum (i.e. brochures,

wall labels, etc.), your textbook, the library and the Internet, but be sure to synthesize

the information before you write about it in your paper. I am more interested in your

own analysis and how you interpret your sources than reading other peoples ideas in

direct quotations. Remember to cite any paraphrased ideas and direct quotes that

arent yours in the body of the paper either with in-text citations or footnotes.

Please include a works cited page (an additional and separate page to the 3-4 pages of

writing).

3) Analyze it compositionally: How is the composition structured and arranged? What

terms can be used to describe the style or appearance of the artwork (i.e. abstract,

naturalistic, idealized, etc.)? Please note the medium and technique used in the artwork

as well.