1.10 Content & Analysis

Psychological analysis

investigates an artwork through consideration of the state of the artist's mind. Sometimes such interpretations make use of important psychological studies, such as those of Sigmund Freud or Carl Jung.

Iconographic analysis

Iconography - "image writing" - refers to the visual images & symbols used in a work of art as well as to the interpretation of the work's meaning. Iconographic analysis identifies objects & figures in an artwork as signs or symbols that can reflect religious or historical contexts & the meaning of which was often more directly understood at a particular time by a specific culture, but may now be less apparent to us.

Memento mori

Latin phrase: "remember that you must die." In artworks, such symbols as skulls, flowers, & clocks are used to represent the transient nature of life on Earth.

Triptych

an artwork comprising three painted or carved panels, normally joined together & sharing a common theme

Formal analysis

analysis of the form or visual appearance of a work of art using the visual language of elements & principles

Feminist analysis

considers the role of women in an artwork as its subjects, creators, patrons & viewers

Gender Studies analysis

expands the considerations raised by feminist analysis to explore ways in which the work reflects experience based on a person's gender.

Stylistic analysis

focuses on the particular combination of characteristics that make a work(s) of art distinctive. How they typify the work of an individual, group to create a movement, or a particular place/time

Contextual analysis

looks at the making & viewing of the work in its context: it studies the atmosphere & ideas, often from a particular time or culture, which the artwork itself includes & reflects. Various aspects of context can be considered, exx. religious, historical, biographical analysis

Anamorphosis

the distorted representation of an object so that it appears correctly proportioned only when viewed from one particular position