Art Analysis Framework and Visual Symbolism

1. Describe It

What do you see? Write a description of the object without opinion. How would you describe this painting to a person who could not see it?

• a. Form of art: Whether architecture, sculpture, painting, etc.
• b. Medium of work: Whether clay, stone, steel, paint, etc.
• c. Size: Is the size of the artwork significant? Is it unusually large or small?
• d. Format: Vertical or horizontal format?
• e. Line: Description of how line describes shape and space (volume). Distinguish between lines of objects and lines of composition (e.g., thick, thin, variable, irregular).
• f. Shape Relationships: Relationships between shapes (e.g., large and small, overlapping, crowded, negative space, etc.).
• g. Color: Description of color and color scheme (palette).
• h. Texture: Texture of surface or other comments about the execution of the work.
• i. Context: Original location and date of the object.

2. Analyze It

Determine what the features suggest and why the artist used such features to convey specific ideas.

• a. Principles of Design: Talk about the principles of design or composition (e.g., repetition, rhythm, symmetry, harmonious, geometric, varied, chaotic, horizontal or vertically oriented, etc.).
• b. Light and Color: Analysis of the use of light and the role of color (e.g., contrast, shadow, warm, cool, etc.).
• c. Space and Landscape: Treatment of space and landscape, both real and illusionary (including use of perspective), such as compact, deep, shallow, naturalistic, or random.
• d. Balance and Scale: Your perceptions of balance, proportion, and scale (relationships of each part of the composition to the whole and to each other part).

3. Interpretation and Judgment

What do you think is going on in this picture? What is this painting about?

• a. Interpretive Statement: Can I express what I think the artwork is about in one sentence?
• b. Mood: The mood of the artwork.
• c. Evidence: What evidence inside or outside the artwork supports my interpretation?
• e. Judgment: Judging a piece of work means giving it rank in relation to other works.

The Elements of Art

The elements are: line, shape, color, texture, space, and tone/value.

The Principles of Design

The principles of design are: repetition, balance, emphasis, contrast, and unity.

Major Themes in Art

• Visual Delight and the Arts of Daily Life
• Sacred Realm
• Politics and the Social Order
• Stories and Histories
• Looking Outward: The Here and Now
• Looking Inward: The Human Experience
• Invention and Fantasy
• Art and Nature
• Art and Art

Case Study: Venus Figurines

From the Paleolithic Period (also known as the "Old Stone Age"), these figures often represent a fertility goddess. Features include plaited hair or a type of headdress, and they typically have no hands or feet.

Case Study: Symbolism in The Wedding Portrait

• Hair up: Indicates the woman is married.
• Hand raised: Symbolizes authority.
• Hand lower: Symbolizes submissiveness.
• Dog: Represents loyalty or a desire for a child.
• Green: Symbolizes hope.
• White: Symbolizes purity.
• Cherries: Symbolize love.
• Oranges: Symbolize wealth.
• Mirror: Represents a witness or the painter.