How to write an Amazing Art History Essay that will knock your professor's socks off!
Art history essays are not like the essays you wrote in your English or Social Science class. They are their own special breed of essay and it takes a little time to get used to how you should write them and what type of research you need to do beforehand to have the evidence you need to make it great. This means you have to really know what you are talking about and should not be hiring a
local essay writing company to write the essay for you (unless the person doing the writing is actually an art history graduate, in which case maybe you should hire them). So regardless of whether you are going to Oxford, Harvard or the University of Wisconsin -
remember nothing beats an essay you write yourself.
Now I have said art history essays are different, but that is not to say that the basic rules do not apply. Of course you must have an introduction, body and conclusion; you must have a clear thesis statement and you must have evidence that is properly cited and referenced. What is different is the way you go about developing your thesis statement and gathering your evidence. You must take into account some art principles to make your point, you must describe the painting or sculpture in a way that benefits your point and you must add scholars opinions to support your points.
What principles should I take into account?
Art has some principles that are important to take into account when evaluating an artistic piece. Things like form, line, colour, shape, space, movement, light, texture, scale, balance, contrast and emphasis are all important things to consider when looking at a work of art. These things can inform you as what techniques the artist used, why the artist may have used them and what the artist is ultimately trying to communicate using through their art.
For instance, if you look at Rembrandt Van Rijn's "The Night Watchmen" you can see that the artist used many of the aforementioned principles to create his painting and communicate his message. Things like light (the strangely light up angel and the man in the cream uniform), line (the weapons and flagpoles draw the eye to to different parts of the painting), colour (the odd pops of red and white contrast greatly with the mostly drab coloured uniforms of the other watchmen), size (some people are oddly hunched over or just appear much shorter compared to the most important person in the painting and presumably of the watchmen), and movement (the stances and actions seem to show that these people are moving toward something important) are present in the art work and illustrate the benefits of taking a moment to analyze a work for the principles. Just from these quick observations you can write about how Rembrandt was interested in communicating not just aesthetics but also each persons function when he made the painting.
Use descriptive devices that help to prove your points
If you are writing about an art period or a particular artists art work you should try to include descriptive words that will allow you illustrate why the paintings or sculptures you choose are good examples of that particular period or artwork. Saying that the painting is dark or that it shows Da Vinci's style really well will not get you the the 'A+' you want. You must try to describe the artwork in a way that shows how the artwork fits into your argument. If you choose to talk about Rembrandt's use of line in his artwork, do not just say that the lines are present talk about how the weapons double as lines, that the lines go in different directions, that they are placed on the outskirts of the painting, and they draw the eye to around the painting. This is sure to provide you will sufficient support to help you get the grade you want.
References are important
Try to find the art critics that will support you point of view. There are many art history books out there that will help you to support your art history essay. Go to the library and find art history critques about the period or artist you are writing about to find more information that will help you support your essay.
Getting an 'A+' on your art history essay is simple as pie if you use the easy techniques described above and your art history teacher will appreciate all the work you put into your essay and reward you with the grade you want.
