Term Paper on "Paintings: The Maas at Dordrecht, Aelbert Cuyp"

Quoted Instructions for "Paintings: The Maas at Dordrecht, Aelbert Cuyp" Assignment:

3 PAGES (DOUBLE SPACED, 1 INCH MARGINS, 12pt FONT, NO EXTRA SPACES BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS)

* You must actually visit the museum.

Choose one of the following pairs of paintings to compare and analyze (do not mix and match pairs):

National Gallery: all paintings are located on the Main Floor in the numbered galleries (Pick up a floor plan when you enter the museum).

1. Venus and Adonis, Titian, ca. 1560 (Gallery 23, 1942.9.84)

The Judgment of Paris, Claude Lorrain, 1645/6 (Gallery 36, 1969.1.1)

2. The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, Jusepe de Ribera, ca. 1634 (Gallery 29, 1990.137.1)

The Bedroom, Pieter de Hooch, 1658/60 (Gallery 50c, 1942.9.33)

3. Alba Madonna, Raphael, ca. 1510 (Gallery 20, 1937.1.24)

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, Gerard *****, ca. 1510 (Gallery 41 A, 1937.1.43)

4. Ginevra de***** Benci, Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1474 (Gallery 6, 1967.6.1.a)

Marchesa Brigida Spinola Doria, Sir Peter Paul Rubens, 1606 (Gallery 42, 1961.9.60)

5. The Maas at Dordrecht, Aelbert Cuyp, 1660 (Gallery 47, 1940.2.1)

Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1835 (Gallery 57, 1942.9.86)

National Gallery

Open Monday through Saturday, 10:00-5:00; Sunday, 11:00-6:00.

It is located on the Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets, N.W, accessible by Metro (Archives on the Yellow/Green Line, Federal Center Southwest or Smithsonian on the Blue/Orange Line, or Judiciary Square on the Red Line). Parking is extremely difficult.

* Parts of the museum may close temporarily. If one of the works on the list is in a closed gallery when you visit*****or if it has been removed from display*****choose another pair from the list.

Your paper must address the following:

1. Give artists***** names, titles, dates, sizes, and medium of both works.

2. Describe and compare the scale of the works, composition (arrangement of forms) and the treatment of space (if and how the artist creates a third dimension). Consider here how the human form is articulated (or not) and how closely (or not) the artist follows observations of nature.

3. Compare the choice and handling of color and light, the range and distribution of colors, the quality and direction of light.

4. Compare the choice and handling of materials (oil/tempera) and the appearance of the surface/texture of the work.

5. Compare how each work is framed or mounted and how methods of display contribute your perception of the work.

6. Discuss the object in relation to other works in the room. How does the context of display/lighting/room arrangement influence your reading of the work?

7. Summarize how each work is characteristic of the period/style it represents, and state how the two works differ in their total effect.

What NOT to do:

*****¢ This is not a research paper: do not repeat what others have said about the object or copy museum handouts, or information from the National Gallery Audio Tour or Website.

*****¢ Do not discuss the artist*****s biography, philosophy, childhood, or love life.

*****¢ Do not plagiarize. Plagiarism (presenting someone else*****s ideas or words as your own without proper acknowledgement) is violation.

NOTE: In your analysis assume that your reader has not seen the works about which you are writing. This will help you to write more carefully and clearly.

Your paper must be written in proper format including:

*****¢ introduction

*****¢ conclusion

*****¢ thesis statement

*****¢ coherent theme to each paragraph

*****¢ smooth transitions between paragraphs

*****¢ correct grammar, syntax, and spelling (be sure to proofread your paper carefully; relying on spellcheck is not sufficient)

*****¢ underline titles of works of art

Your papers will be evaluated on the following criteria:

*****¢ The clarity with which you organize your comparison

*****¢ The depth, precision, and insight of your observations

*****¢ The clarity and fluidity of your writing: how effectively you present your ideas

A few tips for effective writing:

*****¢ Strive for precision. Eliminate excess verbiage. Say exactly what you mean.

*****¢ Vary your sentence structure. Don*****t use only simple declarative sentences or start every sentence with *****The.***** Learn to use relative clauses and other techniques that affect the rhythm of your prose (and keep your reader engaged)

*****¢ Avoid the *****comma splice***** (linking with a comma what could stand on their own as two complete sentences); you must separate them into two sentences or link them with a conjunction, colon, or semicolon, depending upon the sentence itself.

*****¢ Comma splice: *****The lecturer spoke clearly, the topic was interesting.*****

*****¢ Correct: *****The lecturer spoke clearly. The topic was interesting.***** or *****The lecturer spoke clearly and the topic was interesting***** or *****The lecturer spoke clearly: the topic was interesting.***** Or better (?) *****The lecturer spoke clearly on this interesting topic.*****

*****¢ Passive voice. Avoid the passive voice (e.g. *****It was seen that *****¦*****) and constructions using the verb *****to be***** in its various forms (e.g. is, was). These tend to weaken the impact of your ideas and you want your writing to present them in a strong and forceful manner. Learn how to rearrange sentences to avoid the passive.

*****¢ Passive: This website is enlivened by the use of strong design elements (uh, awkward)

*****¢ Active: Strong design elements enliven this website (wow, forceful!)

*****¢ The ITS problem. Learn this now, please, and do NOT make this mistake any longer.

*****¢ It*****s = it is A contraction. *****It*****s a girl!*****

*****¢ Its = of it Possessive. *****Its color is yellow***** (a singular example of the possessive NOT requiring an apostrophe)

*****¢ Its***** does not exist.