Stylistic Analysis Essay Lesson

Collage of paintings

Stylistic analysis discusses an object in the context of its stylistic period (i.e. Renaissance, Hellenistic, Modern). Most often this will be a comparison of two objects from similar or different time periods. Focus on the characteristics of the established time period: How does this art object fit into its established time period? How does it differ from contemporary art objects? What was going on during the time it was created? How did the public receive it? This type of paper allows for a look at broader historical and social contexts as opposed to only the art object itself. If the art piece differs from the norm of the time, explore why and look into how this piece could have improved the science of its contemporaries. This is a look into larger historical trends.

In this type of essay, the writer is asked to look at an object and talk about style. Some instructors will want the writer to discuss how an object fits into a particular stylistic category—for example, Impressionism, Renaissance, or early Macedonian. More often, they will ask the writer to compare two works in either the same or very different stylistic categories—e.g., comparing one Impressionist painting by Monet to one by Morisot or comparing a Caravaggio still life to a Picasso still life. In this essay, the writer will still focus on the formal qualities of the objects, but this time they will be expected to make a conclusion about one of the following:

how the work fits the stylistic category
how the work does not fit the category
how two works with the same type of content look totally different from each other, because of the style (for example, both paintings are still life's, but they show different approaches to three-dimensionality, etc.)

A stylistic analysis will acquaint you with some of the larger historical trends and forces in the culture and how they influenced the development of art.

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