Art history
Art history: Prof. Jeanjean
ART 214: Modern Art
MAKE-UP PAPER: ESSAY
Originality vs. Influences in Modern Art
TOPIC
A long standing debate in Art History concerns the creation of great art. One side believes that great art is the original result of individual genius. The other side believes that great art is influenced by what was made before by previous artists.
QUOTES
Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Judgment (1790)
“[…] Fine art must necessarily be regarded as arts of genius. […] It may be seen that genius is a talent for producing that for which no definite rule can be given: and not an aptitude in the way of cleverness for what can be learned according to some rule; and that consequently originality must be its primary property.”
André Malraux’s The Voices of Silence (1953)
“No [artist] has ever progressed directly from his drawings as a child to the work of his maturity. Artists do not stem from their childhood but from their conflict with the achievements of their predecessors; not from their own formless world, but from their struggle with the forms that others have imposed on life.”
QUESTION
Do you think that great art is the result of individual genius or do you think that all art is informed and influenced by what came before? Can it be both? Explain how Modern artists “struggle” with the rules and the past?
DIRECTIONS
You have to write a five-page essay articulating your opinion regarding the question of originality versus influences in 20th century art.
In order to write your essay you must use and discuss in details the two quotes by I. Kant and A. Malraux and form connections with a selection of four examples studied during the course: individual artworks, individual artists, styles, or movements that illustrate your point. In order to show your general understanding of Modern Art, at least two example should be before 1900 [from Realism, Impressionism, post-impressionism or symbolism] and two after 1900 [Fauvism, Cubism, Orphism, Futurism, or German Expressionism]. Compare your examples and use examples in order to support your opinion on the debate on originality versus influences. Thoroughly also consider the formal elements and style of the artworks, the overall concepts behind the artworks, and the artistic context and innovations of the artworks in the history of art.
In order to write this essay you do not need to consult any additional material other than the one provided for the course, this includes: textbook, PowerPoint presentations, and additional readings.
Your essay must be organized in different sections:
Introduction
– Identification of subject, statement of the main theme of the paper
– Formulate a thesis statement (your opinion, hypothesis, or contribution in the debate about originality versus influences in Modern Art)
– Statement of the methods of analysis used to support your thesis
Discussion
– Organization of ideas and development of the ideas in logical sequence of paragraphs
– In the discussion do not forget to:
o Analyze Kant’s and Malraux’s quotes and adopt a position regarding the debate on originality versus influences in 20th century art.
o Select four examples and place them into their proper geographical, historical, and art historical context.
o Provide a general description of the work of art, artist’s personal style or collective style that you have selected. Analyze the formal and stylistic characteristics of the artwork, artist, or style in order to reach the significance of the work.
o Compare the works of art, artists, or styles that you have selected and integrate them in your discussion about originality versus influences in Modern Art.
Conclusion (this is the last impression that you give to your reader, make sure that the conclusion is the best paragraph of your paper)
– Appropriate connection to the thesis and ideas in the introductory paragraph
– Summary of the main points of the paper and concise formulation of your contribution regarding the debate of originality and influences in Modern Art.
Documentation
– Provide illustrations for the artworks that you mention in your paper. You can use the images of the PowerPoint presentations available on Blackboard or you can also find reproduction of artworks in doing a research in Google Image www.google.com [select “Images” on the top tab].
Format of the paper
Five-page maximum (not including reproduction of work of art), typed and double-spaced with standard one-inch margins (top, bottom and sides), font # 12 (preferably, Times or Times New Roman). Number the pages.
…………………Answer preview……………………..
There has been a controversial debate in Art history concerning the creation of great art. One side believes on the presumption that great art is influenced by the creation of previous artists. The other side believes the presumption that great art is the original creation of individual genius……………….
APA
1105 words
