Posted: July 14th, 2019

For the final project, you will utilize the comparative approach to study two works of art as conveyors of meaning, capable of shaping cultural identity and our historical understanding

FAS 202 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a comparative art analysis essay.
The advent of postmodernism in the late twentieth century brought with it a skepticism of the cultural artifacts that preceded it. The postmodern artist
understands that art in all forms—visual, literary, musical, performance, and so on—is a manifestation of its period and that these artistic expressions endure and
continue to shape the human experience. The purpose of the final project is to demonstrate an understanding of the function of art in its specific era as well as in
contemporary times, and as an articulation of the social and cultural forces that influence the creative endeavor of the artist.
A primary method in the study of the humanities, a comparative approach, allows us to reflect on a singular element and observe both similarities and
differences. In employing a comparative approach, we begin to ask the questions necessary to come to an understanding of the objects being compared and the
conditions of their creation. We learn that each object is a product of its environment—its social, historical, and cultural climate.
For the final project, you will utilize the comparative approach to study two works of art as conveyors of meaning, capable of shaping cultural identity and our
historical understanding. Your study will focus on how your chosen works deal with their shared theme as a product of their particular time. For the final step of
your analysis, you will select an additional contemporary work (created within the past ten years) from popular culture (visual artifact or social construct) and
analyze that work for how it parallels the relationship between the works you have selected.
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at different points in the course to scaffold learning and ensure a quality final submission.
These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The completed final project will be submitted in Module Seven.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
 Analyze the formal characteristics and historical context of creative works from the baroque period and beyond
 Analyze creative works from the baroque period and beyond for their influence on the expression of social and cultural conditions, issues, and the human
experience
 Analyze the relationship between creative works from the baroque period and beyond and their historical themes and settings
 Articulate well-reasoned arguments regarding the relevance and role of the humanities in contemporary culture and society
Prompt
The purpose of this final project is to evaluate your knowledge of the skills necessary for performing a visual and contextual analysis of two works and to measure
your application of these techniques as you relate the works to real-world relevance/popular culture/ideas/concepts.
Select two works from this list. The first work will be from one of the following categories: baroque, rococo, neoclassicism, or romanticism. The second will be
modern (e.g., realism, impressionism, postimpressionism), postmodern, or contemporary (created within the past ten years). You will identify a common/shared
theme (e.g., social or cultural issue) in both works. For example, in Judith Leyster’s Self Portrait (Dutch baroque, 1630) and Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas
(surrealism, 1939), a shared theme is the presentation of self.
After identifying the common theme in both works, you will develop an essay that explores how each work is a product of its particular historical moment.
Finally, you will address the relevance of this shared theme in contemporary culture by choosing a third work that exemplifies this theme. This third work could
be a specific contemporary work belonging to any genre of the arts or even a contemporary social construct such as reality television or social media. For
example, you could consider the presentation of self as a relevant and recurring theme on Facebook today.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction
This section of the comparative analysis will introduce readers to the works you have selected to analyze.
A. For each work, identify the artist, the title (in italics), the date, the medium, the dimensions, the cultural origin or period of creation, and the
current collection.
B. What is your main argument/thesis statement about the relationship between your selected works and their shared theme?
II. Visual and Historical Analysis
This section will provide a visual and historical analysis in which you will analyze the physical characteristics in each work as well as the connections of
each work to its historical and cultural context.
A. What formal characteristics are similar between the two works? What characteristics are different? Be sure to reference specific aspects of each
work.
B. How did each respective culture’s traditions and ideologies influence the two works you have selected? Be sure to use examples to support your
response.
C. How does each work represent its particular social, historical, and cultural climate? Be sure to use examples to support your response.
III. Comparative Analysis
In this section, you will compare and contrast your two selected works.
A. Explain how each of your two selected works reflects the social or cultural identity of its day. Support your response with examples.
B. What influence have your two selected works had in the shaping of social or cultural identities?
C. What influence have your two selected works had on a modern or contemporary expression of the identified shared theme? Support your
response with examples.
IV. Parallels
In this section, you will introduce a third creative work and explain how that work parallels the relationship between the two works previously selected.
A. How do the shared historical themes and settings tie your two previously selected works to your work from popular culture?
B. Discuss how the theme is still relevant today, utilizing the popular culture work you selected to support your response.
V. Conclusion
In this section, you will discuss the relevance and value of studying works of art and cultural artifacts with regard to their influence, relevance, and impact
on modern and contemporary culture and practice.
A. What is the value of challenging perceived notions of historical, cultural, and social identity? How do the humanities, as a discipline, help us
understand this? Be sure to justify your response.
B. How does our understanding of social and cultural practices of the past impact how we conduct ourselves socially and professionally in the
present? How do the humanities, as a discipline, help us understand this? Be sure to justify your response.
C. What is the responsibility of the artist to society, especially in terms of shaping our understanding of ourselves and the world in which we live?
How do the humanities, as a discipline, help us understand this? Be sure to justify your response.
Milestones
Milestone One: Introduction (Section I)
In Module Three, you will submit your introduction to the final project. First choose a pair of works from the provided list of suggested comparisons and then
choose a contemporary work of art (or social construct) that relates thematically to the pair you chose. For each work, identify the artist, the title (in italics), the
date, the medium, the dimensions, the cultural origin or period of creation, and the current collection. Finally, formulate a main argument/thesis statement in
which you explain the relationship between your chosen works and your contemporary example. The components of this milestone will serve as the skeletal
framework of your essay and will help you develop the rest of the required elements. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Rough Draft (Sections I–IV)
In Module Five, you will submit your rough draft of Sections I–IV of the final project. Incorporate the introduction you created for Milestone One with the rest of
the required elements (except for the conclusion, which you will include in your final submission). Use the feedback from Milestone One to form a thorough
introduction. This draft should be as detailed as possible, addressing each of the following major headings: Introduction, Visual and Historical Analysis,
Comparative Analysis, and Parallels. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Comparative Art Analysis Essay
In Module Seven, you will submit your completed comparative art analysis essay. For this submission, you will develop your conclusion (Section V) and combine
it with Sections I–IV, revised to incorporate the instructor’s feedback. You will also apply knowledge you gained throughout the course, including feedback from
the discussion assignments and any relevant and valuable feedback you may have gained from your peers’ posts or responses. This submission will be graded
with the Final Project Rubric.
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your comparative art analysis essay must be 3 to 5 pages in length (in addition to a cover page and references) and should use 12-
point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and one-inch margins. It must be written in MLA format and include at least four scholarly sources, cited in MLA
format.
Critical Elements Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Not Evident Value
Introduction:
Identification
[FAS-202-01]
Comprehensively identifies both
works, including the artist, title,
date, medium, dimensions,
cultural origin or period of
creation, and current collection
(100%)
Identifies both works, but
response does not cover all
elements specified in the prompt
(55%)
Does not identify both works
(0%)
5.94
Introduction: Main
Argument/Thesis
[FAS-202-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
makes especially clear
connections between the main
argument/thesis statement, the
selected works, and the chosen
theme (100%)
Discusses the main
argument/thesis statement
about the relationship between
selected works and the chosen
social or cultural issue (85%)
Discusses the main
argument/thesis statement
about the relationship between
selected works and the chosen
social or cultural issue, but
discussion is cursory or illogical
(55%)
Does not discuss the main
argument/thesis statement
about the relationship between
selected works and the chosen
social or cultural issue (0%)
7.92
Visual and Historical
Analysis:
Characteristics
[FAS-202-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
specific aspects referenced
demonstrate a sophisticated
awareness of formal
characteristics in artwork (100%)
Explains the similarities and
differences present in the formal
characteristics of the two works,
referencing specific aspects of
each work (85%)
Explains the similarities and
differences present in the formal
characteristics of the two works,
but explanation is cursory, or
there are gaps in referencing
specific aspects of each work
(55%)
Does not explain the similarities
and differences present in the
formal characteristics of the two
works (0%)
5.94
Visual and Historical
Analysis: Traditions
[FAS-202-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response demonstrates a
complex grasp of how each work
was influenced by its respective
culture and ideology (100%)
Determines how each respective
culture’s traditions and
ideologies influenced the chosen
works, using examples to support
response (85%)
Determines how each respective
culture’s traditions and
ideologies influenced the chosen
works, but determination is
cursory or illogical, or does not
use examples to support
response (55%)
Does not determine how each
respective culture’s traditions
and ideologies influenced the
chosen works (0%)
5.94
Visual and Historical
Analysis: Climate
[FAS-202-01]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of the
relationship between the
selected works and the social,
historical, and cultural climate
relevant to each work (100%)
Explains how each work
represents its particular social,
historical, and cultural climate,
supporting response with
examples (85%)
Explains how each work
represents its particular social,
historical, and cultural climate,
but explanation is cursory or
illogical, or does not use
examples to support response
(55%)
Does not explain how each work
represents its particular social,
historical, and cultural climate
(0%)
5.94
Comparative Analysis:
Reflection
[FAS-202-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
examples provide cogent
connections between each work
and the social and cultural
identity of its day (100%)
Explains how each of the two
works reflects the social or
cultural identity of its day, and
supports response with examples
(85%)
Explains how each of the two
works reflects the social or
cultural identity of its day, but
explanation is cursory or illogical,
or examples provided are not
relevant (55%)
Does not explain how each of the
two works reflects the social or
cultural identity of its day (0%)
7.92
Comparative Analysis:
Identities
[FAS-202-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response makes especially clear
connections between the shared
works and their influence on the
shaping of social or cultural
identities (100%)
Explains the influence the two
selected works have had in the
shaping of social or cultural
identities (85%)
Explains the influence the two
selected works have had in the
shaping of social or cultural
identities, but explanation is
cursory or illogical (55%)
Does not explain the influence
the two selected works have had
in the shaping of social or cultural
identities (0%)
7.92
Comparative Analysis:
Expression
[FAS-202-02]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
examples illustrate clear
connections between the
selected works and the
expression of the shared theme
(100%)
Explains the influence the two
selected works have had on a
modern or contemporary
expression of the identified
shared theme, using examples to
support response (85%)
Explains the influence the two
selected works have had on a
modern or contemporary
expression of the identified
shared theme, but explanation is
cursory or illogical, or does not
use examples to support
response (55%)
Does not explain the influence
the two selected works have had
on a modern or contemporary
expression of the identified
shared theme (0%)
7.92
Parallels: Historical
Themes
[FAS-202-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
response demonstrates keen
insight into the influence of
historical themes and settings on
creative endeavors (100%)
Explains how the shared
historical themes and settings tie
the two previously selected
works to the third piece from
popular culture (85%)
Explains how the shared
historical themes and settings tie
the two previously selected
works to the third piece from
popular culture, but explanation
is cursory or illogical (55%)
Does not explain how the shared
historical themes and settings tie
the two previously selected
works to the third piece from
popular culture (0%)
7.92
Parallels: Relevance
[FAS-202-03]
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a sophisticated
awareness of the theme’s
continued relevance (100%)
Discusses how the theme is still
relevant today, utilizing the
popular culture piece to support
response (85%)
Discusses how the theme is still
relevant today, but discussion is
cursory, contains inaccuracies, or
does not use popular culture
piece to support response (55%)
Does not discuss how the theme
is still relevant today (0%)
7.92
Conclusion: Perceived
Notions
[FAS-202-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
provided justification
demonstrates a complex grasp of
the value of challenging
perceived notions (100%)
Explains the value of challenging
perceived notions of historical,
cultural, and social identity and
how the humanities, as a
discipline, further understanding
of that value, justifying response
(85%)
Explains the value of challenging
perceived notions of historical,
cultural, and social identity and
how the humanities, as a
discipline, further understanding
of that value, but explanation is
cursory or illogical, or there are
gaps in justification (55%)
Does not explain the value of
challenging perceived notions of
historical, cultural, and social
identity and how the humanities,
as a discipline, further
understanding of that value (0%)
7.92
Conclusion: Conduct
Ourselves
[FAS-202-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
provided justification
demonstrates a sophisticated
awareness of how the past
impacts the present (100%)
Explains how understanding
social and cultural practices of
the past impacts how individuals
conduct themselves socially and
professionally in the present, and
how the humanities, as a
discipline, further that
understanding, justifying
response (85%)
Explains how understanding
social and cultural practices of
the past impacts how individuals
conduct themselves socially and
professionally in the present, and
how humanities, as a discipline,
further that understanding, but
explanation is cursory or illogical,
or there are gaps in justification
(55%)
Does not explain how
understanding social and cultural
practices of the past impacts how
individuals conduct themselves
socially and professionally in the
present, and how the
humanities, as a discipline,
further that understanding (0%)
7.92
Conclusion:
Responsibility
[FAS-202-04]
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
provided justification
demonstrates a sophisticated
awareness of how artists shape
perspectives (100%)
Explains the responsibility of the
artist to society and how the
humanities, as a discipline, help
in understanding that
responsibility, justifying response
(85%)
Explains the responsibility of the
artist to society and how the
humanities, as a discipline, help
in understanding that
responsibility, but explanation is
cursory or illogical, or there are
gaps in justification (55%)
Does not explain the
responsibility of the artist to
society and how the humanities,
as a discipline, help in
understanding that responsibility
(0%)
7.92
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a professional
and easy to read format (100%)
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
(85%)
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
(55%)
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas (0%)
4.96
Total 100%