ART CRITICISM
WORKSHEET
Write your…* first and last name
* today’s date
* art period 1, 2, 3, or 4
* your grade level 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Now we will practice researching famous artists.
We will be discussing the artist Pablo Picassoand the paintings & sculpture he created.
Answer each question completely, thoroughly and
in your own words.
Write on the back or on another sheet of paperif you need more room.
PabloPicasso
Sit back andwatch the movie. Stay awake andpay attention.
MEET THE ARTIST
About the Self Portrait PaintingSelf Portrait from 1907 by Pablo
Picasso was painted around the same time as his famous Les Demoiselles
d'Avignon painting. The portrait is mask-like and possibly influenced by African art, which the
artist had a fascination with.
What is the Artist’s Name: Pablo Picasso
What nationality (country)was the artist?
Spanish
Where was the artist born? Malaga, Spain
When was the artist born? 1881
When did the artist die? 1973
When did the artist create art?(time span)
started ________ - ended ________
1900 – 1973
STEP ONE: THE ARTIST
Something about the artwork.Portrait of Dora Maar
was painted the same year as Picasso’s famous
Guernica. Dora Maar, a photographer, grew up in Argentina and,
like Picasso, spoke Spanish.
Not only was she a friend of Picasso but she was his model
for more than 10 years.
Photo of Dora Maar taken by artist Man Ray in 1936.
Pablo Picasso Portrait of Dora Maar
Could Bring $50 Million at May 3 Sotheby's
AuctionSotheby’s May 3, 2006
evening sale of Impressionist and Modern
Art in New York
will feature a stunning portrait by Pablo Picasso –
Dora Maar au chat
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
In this stepof art criticism
you carefully make a listof all the things you see in the work.
These include the following:
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
Art Movement:
Cubism
Painting
Art Form:
Credit Line
Title: Portrait of Dora Maar
Pablo Picasso, Portrait of Dora Maar, 1937Oil on canvas, 92 x 65 cm (33” x 25”)
Musee Picasso, Paris, France.
Size: 33” X 25”
Location of original work: Musee Picasso,
Paris, France
Date of completion: 1937Medium and/or process used: Oil on canvas
Owned or gifted by: Musee Picassofyi - Musee translates from French to Museum
Subject:(what is the work about?)
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
Portrait of a woman named Dora.
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
Objects:(what is in the work?)
• woman’s face, arms, hands, torso
• chair• walls• ceiling• floor
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
Details:(look closer and what do you see?)
In the foreground I see:
a woman
* she is impossibly shown in a profile and a frontal view* she simultaneously looks away and at the viewer* she is in a classical pose, elegant and social* her head is inclined to the right* her hand is on her right cheek* she has very long, sharp finger nails* the nose becomes an extension to the face
STEP TWO : DESCRIPTION
Details:(look closer and what do you see?)
* the "far" eye seems to be looking straight at us• the other eye is looking at herself• the eyelashes of this eye are painted to emphasize this inward direction, yet the pupil looks straight out* her hair is shoulder length and curled up at the ends* her right ear is a bee* her elbows are reclining on the arms of the chair* she is wearing an art-deco (style) patterned jacket* she has on a checked skirt
Pablo Picasso. Portrait of Dora Maar. Oil on canvas. 1937. Musée Picasso, Paris, France.
In the middle ground I see: * she is sitting on a chair that is flat. It seems like she would slide right off.
STEP TWO : DESCRIPTION
Details:(look closer and what do you see?)
STEP TWO: DESCRIPTION
Details:(look closer and what do you see?)
In the background I see:
* the room in which she sits seems to small, but only add to making Dora the center of attention
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Lines * arising from the point of the triangle in her skirt, are radiating black lines which look like a bouquet in front of and within the abstract shapes that look like flowers.* the straight vertical & horizontal lines in her skirt create a checkerboard effect* there are many straight solid lines throughout the entire painting
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Lines * vertical lines on the back wall,
horizontal lines in the side walls and diagonal lines in the
ceiling.* curved lines in the hair, face, neckline hands & fingers and the sleeves of her blouse* the chair is made up of curved
lines in the seat and the arms with straight vertical, horizontal & diagonal lines in the rest
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Colors
* her fingernails are bright red * her jacket is black with a purple and green flower motif (design)* one of her eyes are painted red while the other is green* her face is painted white, yellow, red, blue, green, pink and black* in her cheek, is a delicate pink apple with its small green leaf under the eye* small yellow lemon within the apple – which I think represents the opposites of sweet and sour that can be in a woman
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Colors
* the brown chair is painted without any shading but has black outlines and yellow highlights.* the walls, ceiling & floor are painted in a soft wash of pinks, yellows, blue and green
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Shapes
• her arms are painted in a flat inverted triangle shape
• the back of her chair and her torso form one black rectangle with a triangles at its base.
• her red checked skirt forms a
triangle.
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Shapes
• the scarf hanging around her
neck and falling in front creating a diamond
• her eyes are almond shapes with circle pupils
• the walls are rectangles while the ceiling creates a trapezoid along the top of the canvas
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Forms
• the arms of the chair create abstract forms
• the ceiling, floor & walls seem to create a cube
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Textures
• the brush strokes of Dora and the chair are smooth and the
paint is applied in a solid manner
• the painting technique of the room is applied in with a splotchy method creating an illusion of rough texture.
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Elements of Art used in the art work:
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
Space
foreground:• is occupied with the figure of
the woman creating all positive space
middle ground• is occupied with the chair
creating positive space• there is negative space in the
chair created by the space within the X shapes under the chair arms
Elements of Art used in the art work:
Space
background• the walls, floor and ceiling
create solid positive spaces with no openings
STEP THREE: ANALYSIS
STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION
What message does this artwork communicate to you?
In this step you will explain or tell the meaning or mood of the work.Here you can make guesses about the artwork, as long as they appear to be supported by what you see in the work. Use your intelligence, imagination and courage.
STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION
It is likely Dora Maar felt, as I usually do, like a different person looking at herself than she did looking at the world.
Or that the world saw her differently than she felt inside.
Since Picasso depicts her simultaneously facing us, and looking within, he could be showing various thoughts and attitudes in Dora Maar.
STEP FOUR: INTERPRETATION
The way Picasso placed her sharp red-painted nails against the soft curve of her face makes me think Picasso wanted to depict the need for some woman to look beautiful and to be thoughtfully self-critical at the same time.
STEP FIVE:JUDGEMENT
Is this a successful work of art?
In this step you determine the degree of artistic merit.Were the art elements use in a successful aesthetics way.
Do you like the work?Why or why not – be specific.No one can tell you what to like or dislike.You must make up your own mind.
STEP FIVE:JUDGEMENT
Personal Judgment
I feel that this is an aesthetically successful painting.
The art elements are organized in a recognizable and interesting way making the art work easy to explore and understand.
STEP FIVE:JUDGEMENT
Personal Judgment
I have enjoyed this painting since the 60’s which was the time for woman's lib.I was a young adult forming my opinions of the world and my views of a modern woman's role during this revolutionary time in history.
I would be interested in exploring more art of this style by this artist.
STEP SIX:REFERRENCES
This is a research paper which means you should examine at least 3-5 resources for your information on each piece of artwork.This can include complete internet addresses, books including title and author, encyclopedia including title and page number, DVD titles and author, etc.
STEP SIX:REFERRENCES
Internet Address:http://www.biography.com/articles/Pablo-Picasso-9440021
Books:Picasso: His Life and Work, Roland Penrose, University of California Press
Encyclopedia:http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/picasso_pablo.html
DVD:Dropping In On Pablo Picasso, Crystal Productions