Comparing and Contrasting 2 Pieces of Art

1、eng 171instructor: panayiota hadjiconstantinoucomparing and contrasting 2 pieces of artcompare - when we compare two things we tell how they are alike (similarities)contrast - when we contrast two things we tell how they are different (differences)the point of comparing and contrasting 2 pieces of a

2、rt is to understand the meaning in the works of art. comparing and contrasting is not jus thinking about and recording the similarities and differences of two works of art; its a way to think about two works of art.there are two special approaches looking at art:1.art criticism: first you describe t

3、he work of art what people and things are in the work? what are the details? (talking about the elements) second you analyze the workhow are various parts organized? (talking about the principles)2. art history: you look at the history behind the work of art. to do this you have to answer the follow

4、ing questions: when, where and by whom was it made? what is the style? how was the artist influenced by the world around him? how important is the work?paragraph structure1. topic sentence give the artist, title, date and medium of the two pieces of art you are going to compare and contrast. your to

5、pic sentence should include a clear controlling idea.2. body write all the similarities and then all the differences that you have been able to identify. you can present similarities first or the differences first. whichever is more important (in the case of your point) should come second. save the

6、most important points for the end.the points of comparison and contrast paragraph should be organized in one of the two patterns below:1. present all the information about a and then provide parallel information about b:first all a:point 1point 2point 3then all b:point 1point 2point 32. move back an

7、d forth between a and b. present one point about a and then go to the parallel point about b. then move to the next point and do the same:first a, point 1; then b, point 1first a, point 2; then b, point 2first a, point 3; then b, point 3the second pattern makes it easier for the reader to keep the c

8、ontrasts or comparisons in mind.concluding sentence- sum up what you have said, supporting your initial statementtransitional expressionsyou should also use transitional expressions that either stress differences or similarities. transitional expressions that stress opposition and difference:althoug

9、hhoweveryetwhereasin contrastunlikebut on the other handwhiletransitional expressions that stress similarities:in the same wayalsojust assosimilarlyin additionandthe samelikeas well asbothneithertooexample:two religious paintings, the tathagata buddha from tibet and example:two religious paintings,

10、the tathagata buddha from tibet and cimabues madonna enthroned from italy, were created four thousand miles apart and for different religions, so they are quite different in content; nevertheless, they are surprisingly similar in form. the tathagata buddha is, of course, a buddhist painting, and mad

11、onna enthroned is christian. the buddha, the central figure in the tathagata buddha, isnt holding anything; in contrast, the virgin mary, the central figure in madonna enthroned, is holding the baby jesus. the buddha is wearing very little clothing except for elaborate jewelry, while the virgin mary

12、 is wearing long robes. furthermore, by analyzing the two pieces of art it can be seen that there is more space around buddha, whereas there is less empty space around madonna enthroned. another striking difference, although both paintings are black and white, is that the use of value is different.

13、the tathagata buddha has less value than madonna enthroned, which is darker. however, these paintings have more similarities than differences. both were created in the 13th century and have a large central figure facing front, on which emphasis is given because of its large size. the central figure

14、in each painting has a calm, serene expression creating harmony, which can also be seen through the use of similar elements throughout both works. both central figures have a symbolic hand gesture. the buddhas hand position symbolizes the giving of gifts, while mary gestures toward her son, symbolic

15、 of the hope of the world. another similarity is that, both the buddha and the virgin mary are surrounded by smaller figures wearing halos. in the tathagata buddha, these smaller figures, bodhisattvas, help people to reach nirvana. similarly, the angels surrounding the virgin mary help people to rea

16、ch heaven. finally, both works have unity and are balanced this can be seen through the repetition of same shapes and lines. clearly, two artists unknown to each other created quite similar paintings for their different religions. (adapted from: quest 2, reading and writing, pamela hartmann)activity

17、 1: find the topic sentence find the concluding sentence highlight the transitional expressions used how many similarities can you find? how many differences can you find? which come first (the similarities or the differences)? why?activity 2:get in groups of 3, click on the following links to see t

18、he two pieces of art and use the compare and contrast worksheet to compare and contrast them. swans reflecting elephantssalvador dali, 1937, oil on canvas, dimensions:20.08in 30.31ininformation about the painting: /wiki/swans_reflecting_elephantsthe persistence of memory, salva

19、dor dali, 1931, oil on canvas, dimensions24cm 33cm (9.5in 13in)information about the painting: /collection/browse_results.php?object_id=79018information about salvador dali: /j001159/famart.htmas a group write a first draft paragraph that compares and co

20、ntrasts the two works of art. try to look for some new meaning or see something important that you would not have understood without comparing.by wednesday 24th february 2010, e-mail your paragraph to another group of classmates for feedback. remember that feedback should be constructive and you sho

21、uld give suggestions rather than criticisms. once your first drafts and written feedback are returned, you should complete a final draft of comparison and contrast of two pieces of art paragraph, and e-mail it to me by 26th february, 2010.after you receive my e-mail and make any necessary changes, upload it on your wiki (writing the group members nam