Meaning in the Arts: Independent Field Study Assignment
For this assignment, you will write a two to three page paper on a painting, sculpture, or work of architecture you have selected, using the artwork as a jumping off point to explore one of the theories or topics we have been studying. You will find the goals of the assignment and the directions below. Good luck!
Topics:
Plato, Republic Book X
Selections from Aristotle's Poetics
Schiller, "Of the Sublime"
Nietzsche, Selections from The Birth of Tragedy
Hume, selections from The Standard of Taste
Arthur Danto, "The Art World"
Lessing, "What is Wrong with a Forgery?"
Dutton, "Artistic Crimes"
Margolis, "The Ontological Peculiarity of Works of Art"
Feagin, "The Pleasures of Tragedy"
Caroll, "Enjoying Horror"
Gant, "The Paradox of Horror"
Beardsley, "The Testability of an Interpretation"
Margolis, "Robust Relativism"
Gadamer, "Hermeneutical Experience"
The goals of this assignment are to:
• Explore the artwork of Philadelphia
• Develop some basic research skills
• Apply a theory or develop a topic we have covered in the course readings and the classroom
• Practice citing sources
Step 1: Select a creative work of art in Philadelphia from the following forms: painting, sculpture, or architecture.
• Visit a museum - the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Barnes Foundation, the Rodin Museum, or the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, for instance - or select an outdoor sculpture or building.
• The artwork should relate to the course by acting as an example or counterexample of a theory or topic we have studied, or by raising important questions related to a theory or topic.
• If permitted by the museum, be sure to photograph the artwork and the corresponding information tag. If not, make sure you write down the details of the information tag.
Step 2: Write a two to three page essay that explains how the artwork you selected relates to a theory or topic we covered in the course readings.
• In your essay, provide an image of the artwork that you selected
o Take a photograph of the artwork at the museum, if permitted, or
o Find an image of the artwork on the museum's web site, in one of the library's image databases, or on the free web
o Be sure to properly cite the image
• Your essay should include (but is not limited to) the following:
o An introductory paragraph in which you briefly introduce the artwork, the theory or topic you selected, and how it applies to your artwork. Be sure to craft a strong thesis statement in this paragraph.
o A paragraph of background information on the artist and the artwork.
o A detailed, accurate, and thoughtful paragraph on the theory or topic you have selected to use from the class readings.
o A paragraph that thoughtfully describes how the artwork relates to the theory you have chosen.
o A concluding paragraph restating your thesis, reviewing your evidence and arguments, and offering final thoughts.
• Be sure to cite your sources! Cite your sources using Chicago Style.