AP Art History
PowerPoint Project
by Taylor Lindsay
zzt_schiele_death and_1915_lind
100 WELL KNOWN
WORKS OF ART
Schiele, Death and the Maiden
Interpreted Using
The
Feldman Model of Formal Analysis
Feldman’s Model of Art Criticism
From the work of Edmund Burke Feldman,
During the late 1960’s and early 70’s
1. DescriptionList the visual qualities of the work that are obvious and immediate.
“What do you see in the artwork”?
Include content and subject matter in representational worksInclude abstract elements in nonrepresentational pieces.
2. AnalysisFocus on the formal aspects of elements of art, principles of design.
“How does the artist create a center of interest?
How does the use of color impact the painting?”
3. InterpretationPropose ideas for possible meaning based on evidence.
“What was the artist trying to communicate”?
4. JudgmentDiscuss the overall strengths/success/merit of the work.
How and why has this work achieved cultural value?
Egon Schiele
Death and the Maiden
1915-1916
Expressionism
Oil on canvas
(59.3 × 70.9 in)
1.DESCRIPTION
a. Painting
b. Oil on canvas
c. (59.3 × 70.9 in)
d. There are no straight lines, the shapes are deformed and
contoured, the texture in the painting looks rough, and the space looks
unrealistic.
e. The axis is vertical because the man is laying vertically and he is
the darkest and looks to be the focal point of the painting.
f. The lines distinct, irregular and semi-thick.
g. The lines emphasize the couple and the position they are in.
h. The proportion is middle and respects the realistic features.
i. The colors are dark on the man but light on the maiden who appears
to be the “death” of the painting.
j. The texture is simulated and rough.
k. 1915-1916
2.ANALYSIS
a. His work refers to the mountains and landscapes which
are obviously not directly portrayed onto the canvas.
b. The darker colors are very distinctive and stand out,
especially the large and dark circle in the upper left corner.
c. chaotic, varied, and geometric.
d.
e. The role of the color is cool, contrasty, and calm.
f. The space is at random.
g. static- the lines and circles all appear to be staying still and
contain no movement.
h. Clean lines and gradual colors into the other colors.
i. The painting is random and colorful and gives off just a chill
vibe.
3. Interpretation
a. To Kandinsky, abstract was very closely
linked to being spiritual but composition 8
was centered around supremacism and
constructivism.
b. Composition 8 foreshadows the dominant
role that circles play in many subsequent
works.
c. Circles are the main shape that are
represented in this painting.
4. Judgment
a. What sets this work apart and makes it
worth studying?
(Guggenheim museum)
b. How does this work fit into the context of
what came before and after it? (Kandinsky in
context)
c. How have critics, historians, and the public
reacted to this work? (ibiblio webmuseum)
d. How has this work changed the way art is
viewed? (Path to absolute Abstraction)
e. Context with AP Exam: Link to AP Exam
Q&A
Compare and Contrast
Composition 8 is simple but chaotic
at the same time. The shapes are
all simple but create almost a
complicated formation. The colors
are simple yet not all of them are
primary colors.
Summary of German
Expressionism
1905-1925
German Expressionism refers to a
number of related creative movements
beginning in Germany before the First
World War that reached a peak in Berlin,
during the 1920s.
Interesting Facts About Artist
• In 1911 Kandinsky wrote an essay called
Concerning the Spiritual in Art. He described three
types of paintings including "impressions",
"improvisations", and "compositions".
• He once said that "Everything starts with a dot".
• Studied music and he compared musical notes to
colors in his own art and the art of others.
• Qualified lawyer who was a successful law
professor until he gave it up to study art at the age
of 30.
• Married twice with one long relationship in
between.
References