Formal analysis essays can be a lot of fun to write! This type of artwork discussion gives you an opportunity to explore what you see in the painting as well as dig deeper into the artwork’s background. Below, I’ll suggest tips for organizing each page (per instruction guidelines), ways to support your points, and additional information to craft a well-developed essay.
Page 1: When introducing an art work you’ll want to do your best to include the title (in italics), artist (full name), date (typically just the year will suffice), size (height and width for two-dimensional works and height, width, and depth for three-dimensional works), medium (e.g., oil on canvas or woodblock print), and where the painting can be located (e.g., the Metropolitan Museum of Art). To present this information in a way that starts an essay rather than just lists facts, you could say something like: “In [date] [artist] created [title, date, medium], which is housed at [location].”
Next, you’ll begin your formal analysis. A formal analysis basically explains what is visible in the work. One way to think about writing a formal analysis is imagining you are describing the art piece to someone on the phone. You want to describe the major parts and details in the art piece and discuss their relationship to one another. For example, you could begin by discussing the focal point, or what you eye is drawn to first, which may be, for instance, a figure, building, or object. Then describe where your eye travels next; perhaps this is an object or part of a building or landscape. Keep describing each of the figures/objects/nature your eye is drawn to because this will help you discuss all the parts of the image.
Page Two: Once you have described the artwork, then discuss how the artist has organized the piece using the elements and principles of art. Elements of art (line, shape, value, space, texture, color, and form) are like the building blocks of an artwork and the principles of art (contrast, unity/variety, pattern, rhythm, balance, and emphasis/focal point) is what the artist does with these building blocks. For example, a painter may use contrasting colors and shapes to create a pattern or draw our eye to a focal point.
Since you already mapped out how your eye traveled around the painting in page one, you can incorporate a discussion of elements and principles of art to explain how the artist created that visual path. For instance, you could discuss how the artist draws your eye to the focal point (what you noticed first). Maybe the artist created contrast with color or value. Or, perhaps, the figure’s or object’s shape catches your attention. Either way, be sure to give specifics and examples to support your assertions.
An artist might also use elements of art such as line to direct the viewers eye around the piece (e.g., we might follow the lines on a building or follow a figure’s line of sight). In this section, it’s also useful to discuss how the parts of the image are related to one another. This could mean discussing spatial location (if figures/objects are near or far from one another), color palette (if the artist is using similar colors or contrasting colors), and/or scale (the size differences between the figures/objects).
As you describe the painting’s content (what it is depicting) and meaning (which you gathered from your research and viewing the work) you can also connect your discussion to how the specific medium the artist is working with impacts the way the artwork looks. If, for example, the artist is painting with oil you could discuss the texture (an artist can build up the surface with a thick application of paint, which is referred to as an impasto technique, or the paint may be smooth and blended). How the artist fashions the figures/objects can also add to the content and mood of the piece.
As the instructions suggest, researching into the art-making process for the particular medium will help you explain the work in more detail. It’s important to understand the different steps artists take to create an image depending on whether they are carving in marble, creating a color woodblock print, drawing with charcoal, or painting with watercolors. For "French Cottage" by Abraham Archibald Anderson, it would be worth researching oil paint (what it’s made from, painting techniques, and drying time) and en plein air.
Page 3: On your final page it would be useful to situate your description of the artwork within the time and place the work was created. Based on the time period, geographical region, and style art is typical placed within a period, movement, or style. Based on the time period Abraham Archibald Anderson was working (beginning at the mid-1870s) it would be worth looking into Realism, Impressionism, and Romanticism. Sometimes there may not be much information about the artist or your sources do not explicitly connect her/his work to a specific movement. In these cases, you may be able to glean more insight by looking at any master artists your artist studied under and what type of movement their work belongs to. For instance, if an artist studied under a well-known Realist painter and you see similarities between their styles, you could argue that your artist was influenced by Realist painting. Information about the culture, political climate, and historic events occurring during the time the artwork was created can also inform our understanding of a work of art.
Finally, as a general tip for all writing assignments that involve research, remember to cite your sources. A good rule of thumb is to include a citation for any information that you borrow from a source whether it is a website, article, or book. If you are unsure how to cite your sources or what citation method to use, touch base with your teacher.
1st part: In your analysis of "French Cottage," you may want to include a description of the artistic style of the painting. As this piece was created in 1883, does it reflect more of Romanticism (style of the 1800's) or Impressionism during the Modern Art period (late 1800's-early 1800's) ? In your explanation, you should include the details of the art, such as the focus upon the young lady painting and her surroundings. You should include close observation of the simple objects in the painting, such as the chair, wall, easel, flowers, and open window. Could this piece depict a scene anywhere, or specifically France, and why?
2nd Part: In this section, you may want to begin with the focus of the painting. Artists choose either a clear focus in the center of their piece or they offset their subject. You can address if the young lady is in the center of the piece and why or why not. As well, you should include an analysis of light and paint colors in the piece. You can mention if the piece feels light or heavy in relation to the content matter and lighting. As the lines are soft, as well as the colors, explain how that presents the overall feeling. You could also address the only real contrasts of color in the dark green. Also, as you consider if there is much variety in this piece, evaluate why or why not the artist approached his piece this way. You may also consider if the oil on canvas technique affects the feeling of the piece.
3rd Part: In this last section, research a few of the events which were occurring in the late 1800's or in Anderson's own life. As an American artist living and painting in New York City, Anderson's subject is a French cottage. Does he represent his subject realistically? You should consider if his painting reflects the typical tonalism of American art of the 1880's or not. You could also explain if this specific piece appears representative of the artist's style or completely different. As well, you could consider if his subject matter had any great significance to him or his family.
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