Three Part Visual Analysis

Anecdotal:  Describe the artwork in general.  What is its medium (oil painting, tapestry, lithograph, cast sculpture, domestic architecture, etc) and its genre (landscape, still life, portrait, commercial art, etc).   Is it representational and does it tell a story?   What is its background or historical context?   For what purpose was the artwork created?  Etc.

Formal:  Explain the mechanics of the artwork, using terminology you have learned in Fundamentals of Design and other art classes.  Discuss focal point, color, texture, movement, perspective, etc.

Symbolic:  Analyze the hidden meaning.  Discuss gestures, objects, lighting, color, etc, and explain how the anecdotal and the formal aspects of the artwork create a synthesis which imbues the image with meaning.

Jean-Baptiste Greuze

The Son Returns Too Late, 1778

Anecdotal:  Describe the artwork in general.  What is its medium (oil painting, tapestry, lithograph, cast sculpture, domestic architecture, etc) and its genre (landscape, still life, portrait, commercial art, etc).  Is it representational and does it tell a story?   What is its background or historical context? For what purpose was the artwork created?

Formal:  Explain the mechanics of the artwork, using terminology you have learned in Fundamentals of Design and other art classes.  Discuss focal point, color, texture, movement, perspective, etc.

Symbolic:  Analyze the hidden meaning.  Discuss gestures, objects, lighting, color, etc, and explain how the anecdotal and the formal aspects of the artwork create a synthesis which imbues the image with meaning.

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