Overview

A comprehensive final exam to test student knowledge of vocabulary, themes, and ideas.

Outcomes

As this final exam is comprehensive, it meets outcomes from across the six modules.

Instructions

 You will write two separate long essays (400 words each), which you will choose from the list of three possible questions below. You may refer to your notes, the textbook, course content, and other research sources (although outside research is not required), but remember that essays must be your own words. If you feel you must quote from another source, quotes should be minimal and properly cited according to MLA style. As always, do not plagiarize. For each essay you must include at least two uploaded images. Images must be captioned with artist, title, and date, and you must engage with the specific artworks in your essays. These Final Exam instructions and the Rubric can help guide your participation.

Please choose two of the following questions:

1. What are the four major categories of printmaking? How do they differ? For what purposes were prints traditionally used? Include one example of a traditional printmaker, describing what it is about their process and subject matter that makes them traditional. Then give an example of at least one artist who began to use prints in new ways, explaining why and how they did so. Consider techniques, printing processes, states, and the concept of “limited” editions. Be sure to include a captioned image for each example.
2. How does context affect the portrayal of the human figure? Choose two examples of painting or sculpture showing the human form from two different regions or eras. Research these artworks, upload images of them (with captions), and then consider the following questions. What does the artwork tell us about the religion, environment, history, politics, or economics of the place where it was created? How are your two chosen artworks similar? How are they different? For what purpose were they used?
3. In the Modern era, the purposes and forms of art, as well as the role of the artist, began to be questioned. Discuss some of the ways artists experimented with new styles and techniques, and how these differed from more traditional approaches. Be sure to explain how the historical and cultural context affected their art. How and why did the artist’s personal self-expression become important during the Modern period? How did this view of the artist as visionary differ from earlier understandings of the artist’s role? Include at least two specific examples of artworks (they should be discussed in your essay, and you must also upload images with captions).