My Humanities teachers sprung a Holiday paper on us, and I’m having some trouble with it. This paper pretty much determines if I get an A or a B (or lower, if I do bad on the paper). Here are the topics that we can choose from to write on:
Using three separate periods, prove that art reflects a common need in society.
Establish a common thread that appears in the art we have studied and discuss it. (Ex: afterlife, death, nature, love, beauty)
Pretend that you are a time traveler and discuss the changes or similarities found in art during three separate periods.
Periods we have studied:
Paleolithic
Neolithic
African
Egyptian
Minoan/Cretan
Mycenean
Classical Greece
Etruscan
Roman
Do any of those topics stand out as being the easiest? I was thinking that the first one sounded pretty easy if I could think of an “end-all” common need. Would anyone like to offer some suggestions for me? What would you guys choose to write on? What common need do you think exists? Obviously the need to express one’s feelings external to their own existance exist. But that may be too obvious. I pre-thank all of you a million and one times over for any and all help you suggest. I’m not looking for anyone to write my paper for me, as that would be cheating. I would just like some ideas to write about and maybe some examples. I hope someone out there can help me out.
This paper is due in a week, so I have time to develop it fully. The paper is to be a 5 paragraph essay, with three body paragraphs that support the thesis statement. What the heck, here are the exact instructions (:)): “Write a five paragraph essay with a clear, strong thesis which you support with specific evidence, logical conclusions, and appropriate quotations. Be sure you use the principles of current, scholarly writing.”
As to the “easiness” of the categories: I would stay far away from “African.” You just can’t lump Africa together like that. Classical Greece and Rome are naturals, as they shared much of the same culture and a lot has been written on them. Pair that with Egyptian and you are all set. You could start with a compare-and-contrast of Greece and Rome, and then compare those 2 with Egypt.
In terms of common needs, I would look at Maslow’s hierarchy for guidance.
I think this might include arriving at your own thesis and examples, but here are my broad suggestions anyway:
I agree with G. Bean to steer clear of African art if you’re looking for the easiest solution. It was always my experience in high school (I’m assuming that’s what this is for) that the creative question will get you the most benefit of the doubt grade-wise, since it requires you to think out on a limb; so try the “time traveler” scenario. And if you enjoy creative writing, it’ll take the “work” out of the assignment.
As for time periods, choose the most different options: this should make contrasting easy (e.g., iconography, media, etc.), while allowing you ample room to compare along equally generalized lines (e.g., intended use, themes, artistic motives, etc.).
Personally, I’d go with Paleolithic, Minoan, and Roman. Pick examples that share some common theme, if possible. (does this assignment include architecture? If so I’d replace Paleolithic with Egyptian.) Good luck!
Excellent tips Green Bean and peepthis. Thanks a bunch! I have decided to use option 3. I am for sure using Egyptian and Roman art and architecture (it includes architecture). Yes, this is for high school. I was leaning toward using African for my 3rd period, as I thought it was the most unlike Egyptian and Roman. We did not go indepth into African art by any means. I have a hard time telling Roman art apart from Classical Greece though, so I’m hesitant to contrast them.
Looks like you’ve picked a winning strategy with #3. It is fairly easy to pick out similarities between arts of different eras and places. You get to pick which artworks support your theory.
Further thematic suggestion:
Analyze, compare, contrast, etc, the various religious and political functions that art served in Rome, Greece, and Egypt. For example, the political/religious dynamic evident in the art from the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaton…
Another topic you could touch upon in your paper is what the art of the period tells you (or doesn’t tell you) about daily life. Use examples that show household furnishings, clothing, and jewelry. As a “time traveler,” you might point out things that you “see” that you recognize from works of art, such as games people play, the uniforms of the military, and how the works of art are placed in society (in homes, in places of worhip, in government buildings, as part of burials or cemetaries). Keep in mind that much of the art (although not all) depicts royal and/or wealthy individuals and households, so you are seeing artifacts from the daily life of a particular class of society.
Questions you might want to ask yourself as you prepare your paper:
How are portraits done? Do the pictures look like “real people” or does everyone look fabulous all the time?
Art is often used to convey an idea or a story to people who can neither read or write. What iconography is used in each period to relate the important concepts of “victory,” “royalty,” or “holiness”?
What materials were used to create the art? Where these materials found locally, or did they have to be imported at great expense (thus adding to the value and status of the artwork)?
What animals were kept for working purposes? What animals were encountered in the wild? How can you tell which animals were valued by the culture?
[Mom voice]
This is due when, Tuesday? And you’re just now starting to work on it? And you’ve had all this week to work on it? Uh huh…
[/Mom voice]
That said, I think #2 sounds the easiest. Follow the concept of “death” (or whatever) through three different art periods.
[Mom voice]
Don’t plan on asking me to type that for you at 10 p.m. on Monday night, y’hear?
[/Mom voice]
