Visual Analysis of Piero Della Francesca, Baptism of Christ
Paper: Visual/Formal Anaysis
For your paper, you will select a work of art from the topic list provided and write four pages of pure formal analysis following Sylvan Barnet's A Short Guide to Writing about Art suggestions on how to do a visual analysis of a work of art and the SCAD Writer’s Studio handout on “Formal Analysis/ Visual Analysis.” The final paper will be a minimum of 1000 words. Include your name, section number (CTXT 122-01) and your word count at the top left of page one.
This essay will be the product of your own looking and analysis, thus will require no research and no citation of sources. You may use your textbook and notes only. You will be graded on how well you communicate your ideas. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. You will fail the paper if you do not follow instructions and do the assignment as described here.
RULES:
The first time you mention a person, give their full name followed by their dates in parentheses like this: (1660-1720). If they’re still living, just give the birth date only (b. 1958).
Always include illustrations/reproductions of works you discuss with identifying information in the form of a caption or a list of illustrations. Label the captions or the list with sequential numbering in this form: “Figure 1.” Refer to each the first time you mention them in the text as (fig. 1), etc. If you insert the illustrations into the body of the text, they do not count in the overall length requirement. No footnotes are necessary.
Your paper should have page numbers, not including the title page.
Italicize titles of works of art, books, and periodicals. Underlining only indicates italics in manuscript.
Proofread!! An error such as misspelling the artist’s name sets a very bad tone for your paper.
Strive for clarity and economy of words. Wordiness is rarely elegant. Don’t use two or three words when one will do.
Having a clear thesis facilitates organization and prevents rambling. A paragraph requires more than one sentence, since it should develop a topic. Include biography only when and where proving your point requires it.
Banned words:
piece
that
I think
One (as a pronoun)
It is, there are, etc. Use active verbs!
words that end in “-ing,” especially “being”
first or second person – I, we, and you
modifiers like “beautiful” or “wonderfully.”
No format required for this essay
Section Number
Word Count: 1112
Visual Analysis of Piero Della Francesca, Baptism of Christ
Piero Della Francesca uses the painting Baptism of Christ to introduce his style. The picture is embedded in an arched frame showing the events occurring in a familiar landscape in the countryside of San Sepolcro. The background is probably chosen based on the artist's contribution and love for the town while serving as a counselor in 1444. The painting was the artist's first and most crucial during the period mentioned above. The picture was initially meant to be displayed primarily at the Chapel of San Giovanni. The painting’s relationship to the artist’s early career is portrayed through its similarities to the light painting done by his master Domenico Veneziano. The panel shown below was the central point of the polyptych, proving that it could have been among his earliest works.
Image 1
The predella and the side panels were done in the early periods of the 1460s by an artist known as Matteo di Giovanni (1452-1495). The altarpieces were displayed in the Saint John the Baptist chapel in Camaldolese abbey, which has since been converted to a cathedral in Borgo Sansepolcro, the artist's native town. It was also in this place that the author was born, hence the sentimental attachment to this location. The artist remained loyal to the region despite having moved around several Italian towns. The above aspect is portrayed in the background of the image Baptism of Christ. A closer look at the image shows the city from a distance on the left side of Christ. Moreover, the landscape typically evokes the local area.
The dove in the painting is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The image of the dove has been foreshortened to blend with the clouds in its surrounding. The roundel seen above the panel can be construed to mean the presence of God the father, who is also the third member of the trinity. The most striking element of the painting is the lighting emanating from above, creating attractive pastel colors exhibiting pale clouds surrounding the figure-enhancing its three-dimensionality. The figure of Christ stands in the image of a man at the center of the painting. However, his stance is extremely majestic, making him appear as a Greek god. His legs and torso are solid and circular, blending well with the tree at the left of Christ. Like the clouds, the dove blends well with the cloud patches fitting into the sky in the middle of the foliage of the surrounding trees, rendered with significantly impressionistic strokes.
Image 2. The Three Angels
The three Angeles seen on the left side of the painting reminisce a group of children previously cultured for Cantoria in Florence Cathedra by Luca Della Robbia (1432-1438). The blonde hair garland decorations prove that the paintings or models of Luca unquestionably inspire the images. The face of the center angle, characterized by the fixed gaze, evokes the same feelings as Domenico Veneziano's paintings...