write an short responce (roughly 1,000 words) that compares and contrasts two artworks. How are they similar? How are they different? In the process, we will uncover the connections between two different people in two different times and places.
Choose one of the possible pairs listed below:
OPTION 1:
Buddhist Temple of Borobodur, 9th century CE (Southeast Asia) – image found here
Great Mosque of Isfahan, originally begun 9th century CE (Islamic) – image found here
You will discuss the similarities and differences between two examples, based on:
Visual analysis (what do they look like)
Describe in detail how the artworks are similar or different.
Be sure to take into account whether the work of art you selected is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional, whether it is a work of art or architecture, functional or decorative, etc.
Is one colorful whereas the other one lacks color? How do the colors relate to the materials used? What might color communicate in these examples?
What is the subject matter of each artwork? Is it a representation of something or is it nonrepresentational?
If it is representational, is it an abstraction of something? Are certain elements exaggerated? Is one example much larger or smaller in scale than the other?
Context (external factors that may have influenced the object’s appearance or function)
How are these two artworks similar or different based on the particular religious, historical, social, political, or other events going on at the time of its creation?
Do they both tell us about the development of a particular religion in a certain part of the world?
Does one represent a time of peace, whereas the other example represents a time when that region was at war?
How do we see that context represented in the two artworks?
