Introductory presentation on describing works of art

1. Art 108 Ancient to Medieval
Westchester Community College
Fall 2013
Professor Melissa Hall
The Skill of Describing
Image source: http://smarthistory.tumblr.com/post/36663164164/barberini-faun-c-220-b-c-e-marble-glyptothek

2. The Skill of Describing
One of the most important skills
you will learn in this class is how
to describe a work of art
Visitors at the Metropolitan Museum viewing the Euphronioskrater.
Image source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/11/arts/design/11voge.html?pagewanted=all

3. The Skill of Describing
There are four basic
components to a visual
description
Visual Analysis
1. Identification
2. Subject matter description
3. Stylistic analysis
4. Contextual analysis (explanation of
meaning/function/purpose

4. The Skill of Describing
These four components will form
the building blocks of your Visual
Analysis essay
Image source: www.thinkandthrive.com

5. Identification
First, we must properly identify
the art work we will describe
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

6. Identification
This is the information you will
find on the museum label, or
“object page” on the museum
website
King Menkaura and Queen
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
http://media.mfa.org/audio/ENG_401.mp3

7. Title
Civilization
Date
Dimensions
Medium

8. Identification
Just as you are expected to
provide the author, title, date
and place of publication when
writing about books and articles,
this information is required when
writing about works of art

9. Subject Matter
Description
Now, we are ready to describe
the work
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

10. Subject Matter
Description
To start, we must explain “who”
or “what” is represented
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

11. Subject Matter
Description
Now if I asked you to identify
“who or what is represented” in
this picture, it would be a no-
brainer because George
Washington is such a familiar
figure
Gilbert Stuart, Portrait of George Washington (The Landsdowne Portrait), 1796
Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery

12. Subject Matter
Description
But to identify “who or what is
represented” in ancient art
requires the kind of background
knowledge you will be learning
in this class
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE

13. Subject Matter
Description
Sally Student read ahead in her
textbook and learned that
Menkaure was a Pharaoh of the
4th dynasty in Egypt; he built one
of the great pyramids at Giza
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

14. Subject Matter
Description
The woman is believed to be his
wife, whose name is too difficult
to pronounce – so my students
nicknamed her “Kim”
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

15. Subject Matter
Description
A good description must also
have descriptive detail
“Descriptive details allow sensory
recreations of experiences, objects, or
imaginings. In other words, description
encourages a more concrete or
sensory experience of a subject, one
which allows the reader to transport
himself or herself into a scene. Writing
that lacks description is in danger of
being plain or overly
general.” ADefinitionof Descriptive Detail
(Colorado State University)
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

16. Subject Matter
Description
When describing a work of art,
imagine that you are talking to
someone on the phone, or that
your reader has their eyes
closed
Image source: http://link2power.org/wordpress/2011/05/can-you-hear-me-now/

17. Subject Matter
Description
Your job is to bring the image to
life so they can “see” it, without
looking at a picture
Image source: http://megaanswers.com/how-are-we-able-to-sense-light-even-with-the-
eyes-closed/

18. Subject Matter
Description
Some things to consider in your
description:
1. Physical appearance
2. Pose
3. Facial expression and
gestures
4. Costume and attributes
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

19. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Chris Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
I chose it because it is a good
example of “descriptive writing”
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

20. Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .

21. Subject Matter
Description
I think you will agree that a
good description helps us see
the work more clearly
But now I want to analyze the
specific features of the statue
that Professor Witcombe
described
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

22. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
Pose
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

23. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
Pose
Physical
appearance
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

24. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
Pose
Physical
appearance
Costume/attributes
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

25. Subject Matter
Description
A good description must also go
beyond the obvious to reveal
something deeper about the
“personality” of the work:
“There is a significant difference
between choosing details simply to
describe something and selecting
details that not only describe, but
also reveal . . . . ” Pursuasive Writing,
Colorado State University
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

26. Subject Matter
Description
Avoid the “laundry list” description that
simply lists details, with no guiding sense
of purpose
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

27. Subject Matter
Description
Your description should have a clear
idea of what you want to “show” your
reader about the work
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

28. Subject Matter
Description
In fact, this can be translated into the
familiar writing categories of a “thesis”
and “supporting detail”
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

29. Subject Matter
Description
Professor Witcombe’s description
actually has a “thesis”
He wants to “argue” or “show” that
Menkaure is a “majestic” godlike figure
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
How does he do this?

30. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
He does this by
being selective
about the details
he describes, and
by using
“persuasive”
language
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

31. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
He describes the
pose as “assertive;”
and the king as
“mature,”
“vigorous”
“slender” and
physically fit . . . .
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

32. Subject Matter
Description
Here is a description written by
Professor Witcombe, from
Sweetbriar College
“Menkaure is portrayed in the familiar
Egyptian pose standing as if at attention
with his left leg extended forward, his
arms held stiff at his sides, and his fists
clenched holding some unidentified
cylindrical objects. His stance appears
assertive, indicative of his power. He is
represented as a mature yet vigorous
man, perhaps in his thirties, with slender
hips, broad shoulders, and well-
developed arms . . . . On his head he
wears a nemes, or headdress, the sides
of which are pulled back behind his
rather large ears, with the lappets falling
to either side of his chest. The beard and
the headdress are the primary symbols
of his pharaonic status. Besides the
headdress, the only other article of
clothing he wears is a shendjyt kilt which
is folded across the front, with one end
falling down beneath, and held in place
with a belt round his waist . . . .
Notice that the
description is
“showing,” rather
than “telling” – he
doesn’t just “say”
that Menkaure is
majestic and
godlike, he shows us
through his
description
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

33. Showing versus Telling
The reader will have no problem
imagining the statue (even if
they don’t have a picture!), and
will reach the same conclusion
as the author: this is truly a
majestic representation of the
Pharaoh!
Wow . . . It sounds like
Menkaure is totally
awesome!

34. Subject Matter
Description
Describing works of “narrative
art” can be even more
complicated, because it is
necessary to “read the story out
loud,” much like a comic strip
Stele of Naramsin

35. Subject Matter
Description
Your “Annotated Image
Assignments” will help you
practice this skill

36. Style
Style refers to the visual
characteristics of a work of
art
Stela of Mentuwoser, 1944 CE. Metropolitan Museum

37. Style
Since this is only an
introductory presentation, I
will save further discussion
of this until later, when you
have had a chance to
learn more about it
Stela of Mentuwoser, 1944 CE. Metropolitan Museum

38. Style
Your “Annotated Image
Assignments” will also help you
become comfortable with
analyzing style

39. Contextual Analysis
In addition to describing the work of
art, we must also explain its original
function and meaning
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

40. Contextual Analysis
Some questions to consider:
1. Where was it originally located?
2. Who was it for, and who would
have seen it?
3. What was it’s “purpose,” or what
“message” was it supposed to
communicate?
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

41. Contextual Analysis
As we will learn, statues of the Pharoah
were made to be placed in tombs,
and their purpose was to provide a
substitute body for the Pharaoh’s soul
(or “Ka”) to live in for eternity
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

42. Contextual Analysis
Just think about it: if you
could hire someone to build
you a body that you could
live in for eternity, how would
you want it to look?
Image source: http://www.capitalbay.com/news/top-stories/344473-engaged-
bodybuilders-become-first-couple-to-both-win-world-championship-honours-at-same-
event.html

43. Contextual Analysis
The purpose of Egyptian statues
shaped everything about the way they
looked – and your description should
also be mindful of this
Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?),Egypt
2490-2472 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts Boston

44. Contextual Analysis
This time, I want to use your textbook’s
description of the Seated Statue of
Khafreon page 38
[You can also find it online]
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

45. Contextual Analysis
What I like about this description is how
it is guided by a general thesis about
the original function/purpose/meaning
of the statue
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

46. Contextual Analysis
The description begins with an
explanation of the purpose of the
statue:
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE
“Sculptors created images of the
deceased to serve as abodes for the
ka should the mummies be destroyed.”

47. Contextual Analysis
Now let’s pay attention to how this
statement functions as a kind of
“thesis” that guides the description and
analysis of the work
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

48. Contextual Analysis
The author begins by telling us where
this statue was originally found (in a
temple that was attached to the
Pharaoh’s tomb)
This is not a random fact: the location
of the statue is directly relevant to its
purpose as a permanent body for the
king’s Ka
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

49. Contextual Analysis
Next, the author explains that the
statue was made from a very hard
stone, which would have taken
considerable effort to obtain, since it
came from far away
Again, this is not a random fact, or
information for the sake of information:
since these statues were expected to
last for eternity the material was
important: hard stone was desirable
because it would literally last forever!
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

50. Contextual Analysis
The author then identifies several
symbols or attributes that identify the
figure as a Pharaoh
1. The intertwined lotus and papyrus,
symbolizing the Pharaoh’s role as
“unifier” of Egypt
2. The bird protecting his head,
symbolizing the falcon-god Horus
(we will learn later that the
Pharaoh was considered divine,
and that he was the living
embodiment of the god Horus)
3. The false beard, nemes headdress,
and ureaus cobra are also
identified as common attributes of
Egyptian kingship; that is how we
know this statue represents a
Pharaoh
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

51. Contextual Analysis
The author then describes the physical
appearance of the king, using the
same kind of persuasive language that
Professor Witcombe used in his
description of Menkaure:
He describes Khafre as having a
“flawless body” and “perfect face.”
Again, this is not just a personal
opinion: the author is calling attention
to the way the sculptor made the
statue appear ageless and “perfect” in
order to express the idea of his “godlike
nature”
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

52. Contextual Analysis
The author then describes the formal
qualities of the statue (this would fall
into the category of “style”), noting
that it is “compact” and “solid,” and
that there are “no breakable parts”
(i.e. there are no spaces between the
arms and legs that might be easily
broken if the statue was knocked over)
This isn’t random description either: the
author is calling attention to the solid
and blocky appearance of the statue,
in order to help us understand that this
is relevant to the statue’s purpose of
lasting for eternity
As the author puts it: “the form
manifests the purpose: to last for
eternity.”
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

53. Contextual Analysis
Finally, the author describes the figure’s
pose, describing it as “frontal, rigid,
and bilaterally symmetrical”
This analysis of style is not an opinion,
nor is it a critique; instead, the author
wants us to understand that the rigidity
and “serenity” of the pose is directly
related to its purpose of providing an
everlasting body for the Pharaoh’s
soul:
“The sculptor suppressed all movement
and with it the notion of time, creating
an eternal stillness.”
Seated Statue of Khafrec. 2520-2494 BCE

54. The Skill of Describing
Describing works of art can sometimes
be challenging, but you will be
practicing the “skill of describing”
throughout the semester
Image source: http://www.hangtogetherblog.com/2013/01/15/reality-based-
cultural-conversations-what-corporations-can-teach-us/words-cant-describe/

55. The Skill of Describing
And you will have ample opportunity
to listen to others describe works of art
in the assigned Smarthistory
conversations

56. The Skill of Describing
To get a taste of how wonderful a
good description can be, listen to
Met curator Catharine Roehrig
describe this treasure from the
museum’s Egyptian Collection
Statue of an Offering Bearer, Egypt, Middle Kingdom, c. 1981-1975 BCE
Metropolitan Museum

57. The Skill of Describing
As you listen, pay attention to
what aspects of her description
refer to:
1. Subject matter: who does the
statue depict? What is she
doing/wearing/holding? How
does she appear?
2. Style: is this statue typical of
Egyptian art?
3. Purpose: where was this
originally located? What was
its purpose?
Statue of an Offering Bearer, Egypt, Middle Kingdom, c. 1981-1975 BCE
Metropolitan Museum

58. http://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/sustenance