Relationship of Humans to Gods Compare and Contrast Essay
there are four proms to choose from. You need to write a 2 to 3 page compare and contrast essay. Prompts
PROMPT 1.
Relationship of humans to gods –
- How have ideas about humans and gods changed from Antiquity to the Middle Ages and how is that reflected in the art?
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the change in the relationship between humans and the divine.
PROMPT 2. Roles of Women –
- How did gender roles shifted from Antiquity to the Middle Ages?
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the changing roles of women.
PROMPT 3. Narrative –
- One of the primary functions of art is its ability to tell stories through a visual medium. How has narrative developed in the art covered in the course? What are the different forms that it has taken and what are the devices that have been used?
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the changing narrative devices.
PROMPT 4. Architecture and its Monumentality –
- How has architecture developed in the art of our course? How has the form of the architecture influenced the function of the buildings and vice versa? You might consider the different places of worship and how the architecture is informed by and is influenced by the priorities of each culture. How has height and size been used by these cultures for different ends? Discuss the symbolic use of light within architecture.
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the changing forms and function of architecture.
PROMPT 5. Life Versus Death –
- What do we learn about Ancient and Medieval cultures based on their funerary art and rituals? How do the cultural views of life and death influence their art? How are they reflected in their art?
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the funerary arts.
PROMPT 6. Natural Versus Stylized / The Human Body in Art –
- We have seen humans depicted as stick figures and fully natural replicas of real-life. How has the depiction of the human form been used to emphasize meaning? Is there an ideological meaning governing the shifts between the Natural and the Stylized?
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the different ways that naturalism and/or stylization have meant different things to different peoples and in different time periods.
PROMPT 7. Influence –
- When we look at the cultures covered in this course we can see how different forms of representation traveled and influenced each other. For example, the legacy of Rome looms large over the art of the Medieval period.
- Pick 2 objects, one from Antiquity and one from the Middle Ages, and compare and contrast the 2 artworks through the discussion of the artistic influence.
Requirements for essay
The essay is fully developed, 2-3 pages in length, typed in the required format. The Introduction presents each work and the overall theme (prompt) and includes a clear, well-focused, detailed thesis statement. In the body paragraphs, main ideas are clear and are well supported by DETAILED and ACCURATE information presented in a logical progression. Specific visual and contextual evidence is accurately used to analyze the similarities between the two works. Specific visual and contextual evidence is accurately used to analyze the differences between the two works. The meaning transmitted in the selected works of art is accurately explained. The conclusion is strong. Vocabulary and terminology are used appropriately and correctly. No grammatical or spelling errors.
