First, read the chapter on analysis to learn the various “analytical moves” one takes when analyzing a work
of art.
Rosewater, David and Jill Stephen. “Analysis: What It ls and What It Does,” Writing Analytically,
5th edition. Boston, MA: Thompson Words worth, 2009, pp. 3-16.
Then, select a portrait from your textbook that dates to the period covered in this class (except Whistler’s
Mother) and address the five points below.
a. Identify your portrait selection (include artist, title, date, and medium) and explain why you selected it.
b. Provide a thorough definition of portraiture.
c. Describe the portrait thoroughly. In this section, simply describe what you see in the most objective way
possible. Please describe the portrait thoroughly beforemaking interpretative leaps.
d. Make interpretive leaps. Using the analysis of Whistler’s Motheras an example, make interpretive leaps
from at least four points of data included in your description of the portrait. Please be sure to identify the
method of analysis you are employing for each interpretive leap using at least 3 different methods of
analysis. (Please explain clearly which method of analysis you use to interpret a specific bit of descriptive
Sample Solution
