The Great Sphinx In “The Prince of Egypt”: Architecture and /Art

The Great Sphinx In “The Prince of Egypt”: Architecture and /Art
This assignment requires that you watch a television show or movie that addresses the relationship of art and ideas from the styles you have studied thus far in HOA 105. You must then write a paper in which you discuss the treatment of art and history in your chosen film or show. Your paper is due at the beginning of lecture on Thursday, November 20, or before. You have plenty of time to watch an appropriate film or television show. If you fail to do so in the allotted time, you will receive an “F” for this assignment.

Further details will be given in discussion sections.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(Failure to follow the following instructions and organizational template will affect your grade.)

LENGTH AND FORMAT: 3 to 5 pages of text, printed double-spaced in Times New Roman 12 point font, with 1-inch margins on all sides. Email submissions will not be accepted. If the paper is not at least three full pages in length, points will be deducted from your grade.
PROOFREAD AND SPELL-CHECK. Points will be deducted for typos and spelling errors. Keep a hard copy of your paper for yourself and back it up on your computer. This is your insurance, in the rare event that your paper is lost or stolen.
CITE YOUR SOURCES. If you quote or use any information from another source, you must indicate it in a note. Please review the “Department of Fine Arts Policy on Plagiarism” in your Student Manual, p. 3.
WARNING: Your assignment is due at the beginning of Lecture on Thursday, November 20 or before. Late papers will be marked down 10 points per day late. DO NOT EMAIL PAPERS TO YOUR SECTION LEADERS OR TO PROFESSOR DIXON. DO NOT SLIP PAPERS UNDER THE OFFICE DOOR. Papers submitted in these ways will not be accepted.

THE ASSIGNMENT

1. Select a movie or television show from the list on page 3 to analyze. You are welcome to choose one that is not on the list, however, your choice must be approved by your discussion leader. Inform your discussion leader of your choice via email no later than Thursday, November 13.

   2. Watch your selected film or television show closely and take detailed notes. Keep in mind the points listed below. After watching, choose one work of art or architecture to focus on in your paper.

   3. The point of this assignment is to look closely and think critically about the art and ideas the film or television show depicts. There is no need to consult anything other than your Student Manual, lecture notes, and Blackboard Power Points in preparation. If you do get information from any other source, you must provide complete documentation in the form of an endnote.

   4. Make sure you focus on the art and architecture in the film and the ideas related to them. This assignment is not a film review.

   ORGANIZE YOUR PAPER ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:

   1. Introduction.
   Identify your chosen film or television show, including the title and the year of production. If you choose a television show, include the season and episode number. Introduce the work of art or architecture you have selected, and which appears in your film/TV show. Explain why you chose this particular movie or show.

   2. Summary.
   Provide a BRIEF summary of the film or television show. This should be a single, short paragraph. What time period is represented? Is it a moment in history, or a fantasy realm? If it is a fantasy realm, what time period is it similar to?

3. Describe the work of art/architecture.
   Describe in detail the work of art or architecture you have chosen, which relates to those studied in class, and which appears in your chosen show or movie. Think about the following:
   • What is the relative size? Is the work large and impressive? Small yet powerful? Medium-sized, but modest or reserved in effect? Does the size affect the story?
   • What is the medium? For prints, what process (woodcut, engraving, etc.) was used? For sculpture, which technique (additive or subtractive; relief or in-the-round carving?) was used? For painting, what kind of paint do you think was used? For architecture, speculate on the types of building materials that you think were used. Refer to the “Visual Arts Vocabulary” on pp. 35-40 in your Student Manual.

   4. The Art or Architecture in Context
   Keep these questions in mind for the following two sections: How does the work reflect the ideas of its period? How did this work function in the society in which it was produced? Who was it created for? What is its message to the viewer?
   • Art Historical Context Is it a specific work that we have studied? If yes, what are the ideas associated with that work of art? If not, is it similar or related to works we have studied in class? How is it similar? How might the similarities reflect the ideas of the actual historical period?
   • In Context of the Film How is the art or architecture different from what we have studied? How is it used or presented differently? Why might changes have been made?

   5. Conclusion
   Do you think the directors of this movie or television show consulted art historians? Why or why not? Would you have made any changes to the film with regard to the art and architecture? Why or why not?

   Choice of Film:
   The Prince of Egypt (Disney)

   Choice of Art or architecture:
   The Great Sphinx