Nelson Museum piece
A Model for Art Criticism

INTRODUCTION

ln a three to five page double spaced paper with l” margins on top. bottom and
both sides. your name in the top right hand corner, center your (own) paper title (example
above). Use a Style of your choice (MIA. APA. Chicago.) Describe and ‘map
meaning” on mzo“ C Work that you personally viewed and experienced at the
Nelson~Atkins MuseumofArt.Usetheexaetheadingsinthismodelasaguideandas
headings in your paper.
Begin your paper with a one-paragraph introduction that tells the reader what
the paper is about. Note the name of the anist(s). the date. and other information
appropriate for an introduction. The last sentence in this paragraph dchlops a transition
to the next section of the paper. For example. and feel free to use this example. with
appropriate modifications: “ln this art criticism paper about Robert Rauschenberg‘s,
exhibited in tthclson Atkins Museum of Art, a description, context and
summary will help the reader understand and appreciate this 2oth Century American
artwork.” Choose a 20?” C artwork you particularly like or dislike.
DESCRIPTION
l’his part of your art criticism paper accounts for about halfof your paper and
answers the question “What’s there?” Describe the work as accurately as you can,
noting the visual elements and principles of design. Describe the work so accurately that.
a person who is unable to see this particular artwork personally can form a picture in their
brain of what it looks like. Don’t forget media. size. direction and location of colors and
shapes, texture etc. Test your description on a friend who has not seen the work. Ask
them to sketch it from your written description. Check the drawing to see what you may
have forgotten to write in your description. After you have tested your description, write:
CONTEXT
This part of your’ paper answers the question “What is the artwork about?”
What is its meaning, or content? Use the descriptive claw