1121W A Fall2021

ARTH 1121 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Due:
Assignment #1 – Tuesday, September 28
Assignment #2 – Tuesday, October 19
Assignment #3 – Tuesday, November 16
Assignment #4 – Tuesday, November 30
Email the assignments as either a PDF or Word Document to my kpu email

address. We have classes scheduled on two of these due dates, so you can
provide me with a hardcopy.
Length: 750-1000 words
Instructions:
Museum and galleries around the world responded to the pandemic by making their
collections available online. Virtual tours were possible. Public talks and podcasts by
curators and scholars along with an amazing variety of content was made available.
Nothing replaces standing in front of a work of art but the quality of the images
online and zoom function has made it possible to study works to a remarkable
degree.
These four assignments are geared to providing you with an opportunity to explore
the collections of museums or galleries that display works covered by this course. I
want to broaden the options to allow you to also select a podcast, a public talk or a
documentary to comment on.
Please ensure that your selection falls within the scope of this course. If the work is
from the early 1400s make sure it is an Early Renaissance image not a Gothic one.
An early modern work should not go beyond 1914. If in doubt, ask me. If the work
does not fall within the purview of this course, I will return the assignment and give
you the opportunity to resubmit it.
These are less formal writing assignments so you can personalize them. There is no
need for an introduction or conclusion. Don’t forget to DOUBLE SPACE the
assignment and provide a link to the source material you select.
Option 1
If you chose the gallery option, then you must determine which period you are
interested in and what type of work you might want to write about. Take your time
and explore the online collections of museums or galleries like the Uffizi, Bargello, or
Pitti Palace in Florence, the Accademia in Venice, the Brera in Milan, the Vatican
Museums in Rome, the Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery in London, the
Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, the
Gemaldegalerie in Berlin, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Prado
Museum in Madrid, to list just a few of the possibilities.
I would prefer that you only write about one work from a stylistic period, one
Renaissance (Italian or Northern) image, and one High Renaissance image. For the
Baroque period (Italian, Flemish, Spanish, Dutch, French) you can select images
from the different eras. Also try to write about a late 18th or 19th century image.
Spread your choices around. I would prefer you didn’t write about one of the key
images listed on the various Handouts I am providing, but if you are interested in a
specific work, you can do so.
Explain why you selected this work. What did you respond to in the image? Describe
the image thoroughly. Is it a typical work for this artist or this period? Why is it a
good example of this artist’s work or this period? Or is the artist breaking new
ground and moving art forward? Research is not necessary. You can utilize the
information provided by the museum website, but I want the writing assignment to
be personal and reflective as you engage with the work. Please include a link to the
image for my benefit.
Option 2
The wealth of content available on museum and gallery websites is amazing.

Another option for the writing assignment would be to select a public talk or
podcast delivered by a curator or scholar about an exhibition, the career of an artist,
new scholarship on a particular work, or a documentary on an artist or a period of
art history. Again, I am trying to provide a range of options, but this isn’t a
comprehensive list. Many of the museums previously listed offer a remarkable array
of things to watch or listen to. The Iris at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles is worth
checking out as is The Frick Collection in New York. Provide a review of what you
have watched or listened to. Be critical. What did you learn? Imagine you were at
this event and design one or two thoughtful questions that you would pose to this
individual. Please include a link for my benefit.
A current exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Medici: Portraits and
Politics, 1512-1570, is worth considering. You can tour the exhibition virtually, as
well as take advantage of other online resources.
All four of your assignments can be any combination of Option1 and Option 2. That
being said, I have developed a 3rd option for the final assignment that is due on
November 30th that provides you with an opportunity to look back at the images you
have been introduced to during this course.
Option 3
This option is restricted to Assignment #4. Imagine that the pandemic is over, and
it is safe to travel again (and funds are not an issue). List 3-4 works that you have
seen in this course that you would like to see. Explain why you selected these works,
what drew you to them. Rationales can be both positive and negative. You can select
examples of painting, sculpture, drawings, prints or architecture. Your answers
must be thoughtful, reflective and display an engagement with the works you have
selected. Are you surprised by the images you have selected? Did these images
provide you with solace during this very difficult time? If so, explain why.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me or attend a BBB session
and ask your questions there.

1121W A Fall2021

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ARTH 1121 WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment #1 – Tuesday, September 28

Assignment #2 – Tuesday, October 19

Assignment #3 – Tuesday, November 16

Assignment #4 – Tuesday, November 30

Email the assignments as either a PDF or Word Document to my kpu email

Length: 750-1000 words

The wealth of content available on museum and gallery websites is amazing.

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