comparing two artworks essay

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Writing Essays in Art History

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These OWL resources provide guidance on typical genres with the art history discipline that may appear in professional settings or academic assignments, including museum catalog entries, museum title cards, art history analysis, notetaking, and art history exams.

Art History Analysis – Formal Analysis and Stylistic Analysis

Typically in an art history class the main essay students will need to write for a final paper or for an exam is a formal or stylistic analysis.

A formal analysis is just what it sounds like – you need to analyze the form of the artwork. This includes the individual design elements – composition, color, line, texture, scale, contrast, etc. Questions to consider in a formal analysis is how do all these elements come together to create this work of art? Think of formal analysis in relation to literature – authors give descriptions of characters or places through the written word. How does an artist convey this same information?

Organize your information and focus on each feature before moving onto the text – it is not ideal to discuss color and jump from line to then in the conclusion discuss color again. First summarize the overall appearance of the work of art – is this a painting? Does the artist use only dark colors? Why heavy brushstrokes? etc and then discuss details of the object – this specific animal is gray, the sky is missing a moon, etc. Again, it is best to be organized and focused in your writing – if you discuss the animals and then the individuals and go back to the animals you run the risk of making your writing unorganized and hard to read. It is also ideal to discuss the focal of the piece – what is in the center? What stands out the most in the piece or takes up most of the composition?

A stylistic approach can be described as an indicator of unique characteristics that analyzes and uses the formal elements (2-D: Line, color, value, shape and 3-D all of those and mass).The point of style is to see all the commonalities in a person’s works, such as the use of paint and brush strokes in Van Gogh’s work. Style can distinguish an artist’s work from others and within their own timeline, geographical regions, etc.

Methods & Theories To Consider:

Expressionism

Instructuralism

Postmodernism

Social Art History

Biographical Approach

Poststructuralism

Museum Studies

Visual Cultural Studies

Stylistic Analysis Example:

The following is a brief stylistic analysis of two Greek statues, an example of how style has changed because of the “essence of the age.” Over the years, sculptures of women started off as being plain and fully clothed with no distinct features, to the beautiful Venus/Aphrodite figures most people recognize today. In the mid-seventh century to the early fifth, life-sized standing marble statues of young women, often elaborately dress in gaily painted garments were created known as korai. The earliest korai is a Naxian women to Artemis. The statue wears a tight-fitted, belted peplos, giving the body a very plain look. The earliest korai wore the simpler Dorian peplos, which was a heavy woolen garment. From about 530, most wear a thinner, more elaborate, and brightly painted Ionic linen and himation. A largely contrasting Greek statue to the korai is the Venus de Milo. The Venus from head to toe is six feet seven inches tall. Her hips suggest that she has had several children. Though her body shows to be heavy, she still seems to almost be weightless. Viewing the Venus de Milo, she changes from side to side. From her right side she seems almost like a pillar and her leg bears most of the weight. She seems be firmly planted into the earth, and since she is looking at the left, her big features such as her waist define her. The Venus de Milo had a band around her right bicep. She had earrings that were brutally stolen, ripping her ears away. Venus was noted for loving necklaces, so it is very possibly she would have had one. It is also possible she had a tiara and bracelets. Venus was normally defined as “golden,” so her hair would have been painted. Two statues in the same region, have throughout history, changed in their style.

Compare and Contrast Essay

Most introductory art history classes will ask students to write a compare and contrast essay about two pieces – examples include comparing and contrasting a medieval to a renaissance painting. It is always best to start with smaller comparisons between the two works of art such as the medium of the piece. Then the comparison can include attention to detail so use of color, subject matter, or iconography. Do the same for contrasting the two pieces – start small. After the foundation is set move on to the analysis and what these comparisons or contrasting material mean – ‘what is the bigger picture here?’ Consider why one artist would wish to show the same subject matter in a different way, how, when, etc are all questions to ask in the compare and contrast essay. If during an exam it would be best to quickly outline the points to make before tackling writing the essay.

Compare and Contrast Example:

Stele of Hammurabi from Susa (modern Shush, Iran), ca. 1792 – 1750 BCE, Basalt, height of stele approx. 7’ height of relief 28’

Stele, relief sculpture, Art as propaganda – Hammurabi shows that his law code is approved by the gods, depiction of land in background, Hammurabi on the same place of importance as the god, etc.

Top of this stele shows the relief image of Hammurabi receiving the law code from Shamash, god of justice, Code of Babylonian social law, only two figures shown, different area and time period, etc.

Stele of Naram-sin , Sippar Found at Susa c. 2220 - 2184 bce. Limestone, height 6'6"

Stele, relief sculpture, Example of propaganda because the ruler (like the Stele of Hammurabi) shows his power through divine authority, Naramsin is the main character due to his large size, depiction of land in background, etc.

Akkadian art, made of limestone, the stele commemorates a victory of Naramsin, multiple figures are shown specifically soldiers, different area and time period, etc.

Iconography

Regardless of what essay approach you take in class it is absolutely necessary to understand how to analyze the iconography of a work of art and to incorporate into your paper. Iconography is defined as subject matter, what the image means. For example, why do things such as a small dog in a painting in early Northern Renaissance paintings represent sexuality? Additionally, how can an individual perhaps identify these motifs that keep coming up?

The following is a list of symbols and their meaning in Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth (1743) that is a series of six paintings that show the story of marriage in Hogarth’s eyes.

• Man has pockets turned out symbolizing he has lost money and was recently in a fight by the state of his clothes.
• Lap dog shows loyalty but sniffs at woman’s hat in the husband’s pocket showing sexual exploits.
• Black dot on husband’s neck believed to be symbol of syphilis.
• Mantel full of ugly Chinese porcelain statues symbolizing that the couple has no class.
• Butler had to go pay bills, you can tell this by the distasteful look on his face and that his pockets are stuffed with bills and papers.
• Card game just finished up, women has directions to game under foot, shows her easily cheating nature.
• Paintings of saints line a wall of the background room, isolated from the living, shows the couple’s complete disregard to faith and religion.
• The dangers of sexual excess are underscored in the Hograth by placing Cupid among ruins, foreshadowing the inevitable ruin of the marriage.
• Eventually the series (other five paintings) shows that the woman has an affair, the men duel and die, the woman hangs herself and the father takes her ring off her finger symbolizing the one thing he could salvage from the marriage.

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1.5: How to Compare and Contrast Art

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• Deborah Gustlin & Zoe Gustlin
• Evergreen Valley College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

Comparing modern paintings and historic paintings brings an understanding of how the past influences the present. Learning the elements of art, design, and art methods will help you communicate and write with a new language to compare and contrast art. In this textbook, we will be comparing and contrasting ordinary images of horses, figures, sunflowers, and dots. Like a new language, it becomes more familiar the more the terms used in written descriptions. Looking at art is the foundation of learning how to write descriptive essays. The longer you look, the more information you begin to see, like the brush marks. Asking yourself questions about the brush marks can help you define the type of art you are looking at: Impressionism uses significant broad-brush marks with visible slabs of paint. While Renaissance artists used oil paint with almost hidden brush marks giving a life-like look to the painting. These observations will help you decide what period of art painting can belong in when you do not know the answer.

Comparing Horses

The two paintings, Relay Hunting (1.9) and Foundation Sire (1.10) were created 170 years apart yet are as realistic as photographs taken yesterday. Similar instances, the horses predominantly face away from the viewer displaying the sturdy hind legs and taut muscles. The shining sun marks their coats, reflecting highlights and emphasizing the muscle structure of the animals. Both artists realistically depict the horses causing the viewer to take a second look at the exquisite details of the horses and the surroundings.

In realistic paintings, both artists focused on detail based upon their study of horse anatomy. Rosa Bonheur, who painted the three horses in Relay Hunting (1.9), actually went to meat processing plants and studied the anatomy of the horses while she dissected the animals. Most artists study human anatomy as part of their education. Understanding the body's muscle and bone structure benefits the artists' ability to draw realistic people and animals.

1.13 Study of Horses , Leonardo

The representation of horses throughout human time began on the cave wall, Image of Horse (1.11). We see horses immortalized in bronze statues, captured on film, or drawn in Study of Horses (1.13). Painted in Blue Horses (1.14), etched in Knight, Death and the Devil (1.12), and colored. Horses have been a mode of transportation for thousands of years, and the equine image has been traditional portraiture throughout the ages. These pictures of different types of horses demonstrate they can be drawn or painted in many types of styles. The details in the etched Knight, Death, and the Devil (1.12) establishes the artist as a detail orientated person as opposed to the Blue Horses (1.14), which has a looser painting style and bolder colors.

Comparing Figures

At first glance, The Birth of Venus (1.15) and Rara Avis 19 (1.16) look completely different from each other, or are they? Let us look closer at these two figures—what is the one object in both paintings that is similar? The woman in the center! Both poses are similar, expressionless except what the viewer reads into it, and they display no movement, a very static pose with elongated legs and feet. Neither one of the artists give any weight to the body or use any type of deep perspective space. Both figures have an impossible pose, the shifting of weight over one hip. They both appear to be emerging from the water as if being born from the sea.

They are both colorful and have the impression of a background; land, sea, and trees. However, these two paintings are over 500 years apart, the Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli in 1486 and Rara Avis 19 by Jylian Gustlin in 2014. Botticelli painted in oils on canvas, and his Venus is aloof and uninterested in her surroundings. Gustlin works in acrylic and oil paints on board, using the effects of layers to achieve her distinct and intricate paintings. The figures in the landscape frequently show a moody and brooding figure, yet at the same time, depicting a sense of future. One figure set in a literal translation and the other in a modern view, yet each one escapes from reality.

Comparing Sunflowers

These two pieces of art display the gorgeous sunflower at the height of its flowering. The yellow petals open up towards the sunshine, offering seeds to passing birds. The hint of brown color on the leaves tells the viewer that the fall weather is on its way. These two art pieces are about 140 years apart, one is in paint, and the other is painted fabric. The Sunflowers (1.17) in the vase is by Vincent Van Gogh in 1887, and the sunflower quilt (1.18) is by an unknown quilter, 2004.

The two pieces have many similar components, for example, the colors of the sunflowers are yellow, brown seed pods in the centers, both pictures fill the space, and both painted. The differences are more significant because the quilted sunflowers highly contrast against the dark brown fabric; the flowers in the vase are against a pale blue background. The quilt shows flowers arranged in space not anchored to stems or in a vase, as seen in the painting.

The painting process is also different. Van Gogh painted his sunflowers on canvas with oil paints. The painted quilt fabric became the palette for the sunflowers with mostly yellows, with browns, greens, and oranges in a random array of colors for highlights, cut into individual leaves, and arranged on the background fabric. Both pieces are similar works of art created in different periods with different materials.

Comparing Dots

Dots or points are single primary forms in art. In art, dots can be one or many thousands of dots abstracted into images we may or may not recognize. The dots can be far apart or close together, different colors, monochromatic, or one color. All drawings begin with a single dot from the point of the pencil, and as the pencil moves, it becomes a continuous line of dots, thereby making the dot one of the essential elements in art.

Dots become the focal point of the art, and space in-between the dots are as crucial as the dot itself. The dot can cause tension or harmony depending on the color, size, and how close the dot is to another dot. As dots placed closer together, they start to become an object, a recognizable form.

Yayoi Kusama (born 1929) is considered the 'Princess of Polka Dots' using large distinct polka dots in her two sculptures  Flowers (1.19) and Life is the Heart of a Rainbow (1.20). They are red and white polka dots surrounding the trees or the entire room. The polka dots are distinctly circles, especially in the room, as they are far apart and only in two contrasting colors. The red wrapped trees with white polka dots are closer together but still distinct in various sizes in the high contrast. The dots are not touching, and the negative space between them is about the same size throughout.

George Seurat developed a technique of painting with tiny colored dots called Pointillism as he when he branched out from Impressionism. Pointillism relies on small dots of color that blend in the viewer's minds creating a large scene. Up close, each colored dot and brush mark are visible; however, when the viewer steps back several feet, the viewer is surprised with a lifelike painting. The large-scale piece, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1.21), transformed art at the turn of the 20th century and inspired artists to work with dots.

The three paintings are all created from dots, small dots, large dots, colored dots on the canvas, on walls, suspended from the ceiling, or suspended in space. The size and color of the dot do matter and can give the viewer a completely different experience.

Art is everywhere you look, everything you wear, and art is beauty. Just look around....

ARTS - Herzberg: Writing Essays About Art

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What is a Compare and Contrast Essay?

What is a compare / contrast essay.

In Art History and Appreciation, contrast / compare essays allow us to examine the features of two or more artworks.

• Comparison -- points out similarities in the two artworks
• Contrast -- points out the differences in the two artworks

Why would you want to write this type of essay?

• To inform your reader about characteristics of each art piece.
• To show a relationship between different works of art.
• To give your reader an insight into the process of artistic invention.
• Use your assignment sheet from your class to find specific characteristics that your professor wants you to compare.

How is Writing a Compare / Contrast Essay in Art History Different from Other Subjects?

You should use art vocabulary to describe your subjects..

• Find art terms in your textbook or an art glossary or dictionary

You should have an image of the works you are writing about in front of you while you are writing your essay.

• The images should be of  high enough quality that you can see the small details of the works. 
• You will use them when describing visual details of each art work.

Works of art are highly influenced by the culture, historical time period and movement in which they were created.

• You should gather information about these BEFORE you start writing your essay.

If you describe a characteristic of one piece of art, you must describe how the OTHER piece of art treats that characteristic.

Example:  You are comparing a Greek amphora with a sculpture from the Tang Dynasty in China.

If you point out that the color palette of the amphora is limited to black, white and red, you must also write about the colors used in the horse sculpture.

Organizing Your Essay

Thesis statement.

The thesis for a comparison/contrast essay will present the subjects under consideration and indicate whether the focus will be on their similarities, on their differences, or both.

Thesis example using the amphora and horse sculpture -- Differences:

While they are both made from clay, the Greek amphora and the Tang Dynasty horse served completely different functions in their respective cultures.

Thesis example -- Similarities:

Ancient Greek and Tang Dynasty ceramics have more in common than most people realize.

Thesis example -- Both:

The Greek amphora and the Tang Dynasty horse were used in different ways in different parts of the world, but they have similarities that may  not be apparent to the casual viewer.

Visualizing a Compare & Contrast Essay: 

Introduction (1-2 paragraphs) .

• Creates interest in your essay
• Introduces the two art works that you will be comparing.
• States your thesis, which mentions the art works you are considering and may indicate whether the focus will be on similarities, differences, or both. 

Body paragraphs 

• Make and explain a point about the first subject and then about the second subject 
• Example: While both superheroes fight crime, their motivation is vastly different. Superman is an idealist, who fights for justice …… while Batman is out for vengeance. 

Conclusion (1-2 paragraphs) 

• Provides a satisfying finish 
• Leaves your reader with a strong final impression. 

Downloadable Essay Guide

• How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay in Art History Downloadable version of the description on this LibGuide.

Questions to Ask Yourself After You Have Finished Your Essay

• Are all the important points of comparison or contrast included and explained in enough detail?
• Have you addressed all points that your professor specified in your assignment?
• Do you use transitions to connect your arguments so that your essay flows into a coherent whole, rather than just a random collection of statements?
• Do your arguments support your thesis statement?

Art Terminology

• British National Gallery: Art Glossary Includes entries on artists, art movements, techniques, etc.

Lee College Writing Center

Writing Center tutors can help you with any writing assignment for any class from the time you receive the assignment instructions until you turn it in, including:

• Brainstorming ideas
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Contact a tutor:

• Phone: 281-425-6534
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Other Compare / Contrast Writing Resources

• Southwestern University Guide for Writing About Art This easy to follow guide explains the basic of writing an art history paper.
• Purdue Online Writing Center: writing essays in art history Describes how to write an art history Compare and Contrast paper.
• Stanford University: a brief guide to writing in art history See page 24 of this document for an explanation of how to write a compare and contrast essay in art history.
• Duke University: writing about paintings Downloadable handout provides an overview of areas you should cover when you write about paintings, including a list of questions your essay should answer.
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• Last Updated: Jun 19, 2023 4:30 PM
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How to Write an Art Comparison Essay

Jared lewis, 25 jun 2018.

Writing an art comparison essay can be a difficult task for the novice art student. Students of art or art history often assume that any interpretation is as good as another, but in reality, to adequately interpret a work of art and then compare it to another, you will need to learn a little about the artist and the historical context of the composition.

Research the historical context of each piece of art. In order to adequately understand any work of art you must understand the circumstances under which it was produced. Artists are considered cultural innovators and often have an idea or truth they are trying to convey with any given composition or group of compositions. You have to first understand the artist as a person before you can adequately understand the meaning of his or her work. In order to understand the artist as a person you will also need to understand the time in which they lived. Picking up a good art history or humanities textbook will help you get started understanding the context.

Find the similarities and differences. Once you have placed each work within the proper context and before you actually begin to write your essay, sit down with a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil and write down the similarities and differences in each work. Questions to consider are the historical, political, philosophical, and religious differences of the time in which each work was composed. What do each of these works say about these issues? Do the works contain any symbolism? If so, how do the symbols differ and how are they similar? What do the symbols tell the observer about each composition?

Consider the medium through which the piece of art was created. Is it a painting or sculpture? Is the art representational or abstract? Is there a technique or style used that tells the observer something about the meaning of the composition? Who or what are the subjects of the work? The questions you can ask regarding any particular work of art are actually unlimited, but should always include some of these basic questions.

Compose your essay. Once you have analyzed each key piece of art you should develop some type of thesis statement related to that analysis. For instance, a comparison of any of Jackson Pollack's works with Van Gogh's "Starry Night" might yield a thesis statement indicating that both artists expressed themselves similarly by painting in a manner that revealed their inner emotions. Van Gogh was known to cake the paint onto the canvas and create a visible texture that was reminiscent of his inner torment while Pollack's abstract art was created by slopping paint onto large canvases, often in a drunken rage. You can then compare and contrast the elements of each composition to reveal how these artists methods were similar. The key to writing a good comparison and contrast essay is to be as clear and concise as possible, but also to be as detailed as possible regarding each element of the compositions.

Revise your work. If you are submitting your work for a grade you should take the time to reread and revise your essay before turning it in. Even the best writers rarely get their work exactly right on the first try. Have someone else proofread and offer suggestions for revision if possible. It is generally much easier for someone else to spot clarity issues and point them out than it is for you to do it yourself. Getting a little help from a friend, family member, or colleague is a great way to strengthen your writing and increase your chances of getting a positive response from the reader.

• 1 Academy of Art University: Compare/Contrast Art History Essay

About the Author

Jared Lewis is a professor of history, philosophy and the humanities. He has taught various courses in these fields since 2001. A former licensed financial adviser, he now works as a writer and has published numerous articles on education and business. He holds a bachelor's degree in history, a master's degree in theology and has completed doctoral work in American history.

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Cognition’s new ai tool devin is set to revolutionize coding industry, heated discussions erupt on reddit over chatgpt’s entry in scholarly publication, do you use quotation marks when paraphrasing, typely review, how to rewrite the sentence in active voice, two art periods and their major works essay sample, example.

The Renaissance Era refers to a period of rebirth in art. It was a cultural movement that took place between the classical and modern periods of art (Johnson, 2005). During this phase, there were significant developments occurring within different art forms. The artists widely reflected the culture, social conditions, and political structure of their societies. They went beyond the boundaries of classical art, and created art with unconventional ideas, and depicted the political and social conditions of their societies (Earls, 1987).

Neoclassicism , also called the Era of Enlightenment, is the period after the Renaissance, during which artists mainly focused on exploring and recreating classical art, especially Greek and Roman styles. During this period, the artists widely emphasized reviving the classic antiquity that highly inspired the art pieces created during this period. It was in reaction to peoples’ opposition to Romanticism (Bietoletti, 2009).

There are some renowned artists who made major contributions in the emergence and development of Renaissance art. For instance, Michelangelo is a notable name in the history of art, playing a vital role in the fruition of Renaissance art. He was an Italian painter, sculptor, and poet who adopted several unconventional styles of art and significantly contributed towards the progress of western art during this period. He introduced versatility within the art forms, and created several masterpieces that truly represent Renaissance art by depicting certain social, cultural, and political issues.

An important creation of Michelangelo’s during the Renaissance phase was the marble statue of a nude standing male named David. The statue was made to represent the biblical hero David who was one of the most favored subjects within Florentine art. The statue David depicts the political situation of the country. With a warning glare in the eye turned toward Rome, the statue symbolizes the defense of the civil liberty of the Florentine Republic that was threatened by the surrounding powerful states during that time. The statue is an excellent and renowned example of the Renaissance Era because it reflects the political and social conditions of that time.

The Neoclassicism Era also gave birth to many exemplary artists (Chilvers, 2004), including Antonio Canova, who was an Italian sculptor from the Republic of Venice. His art pieces indicate the return of art towards classical refinement. His statue Psyche Revised by Cupid Kiss is an important example of neoclassical devotion to love and reflection of intricate emotions. The statue shows the love god Cupid at the heights of tenderness and affection, kissing the lifeless Psyche to make it alive. The statue reflects the Roman style of portraying delicate emotions within art, for which it has been regarded as an example of the Neoclassical Movement.

Earls, I. (1987). Renaissance Art: A Topical Dictionary , London: ABC-CLIO, 1987.

Bietoletti, S. (2009). Neoclassicism & Romanticism . NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.

Johnson, G.A. (2005). Renaissance Art: A Very Short Introduction . Oxford: Oxford University Press, Jul 28, 2005.

Chilvers, I. (2004).  The Oxford Dictionary of Art. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Essay 3: Compare & Contrast Two Paintings

Write a two-to-three-page (500-800 words) essay that describes and analyzes a pair of paintings on a similar subject matter.

Choose ONE of the following pairs of paintings to analyze:

• Family Portrait by Rembrandt & Family Group by William Glackens
• The First Steps by Marguerite Gérard & First Steps by Vincent van Gogh
• Paris, A Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte & Rainy Day on Fifth Avenue by Childe Hassam.

Describe the two paintings in detail so that your readers can easily visualize them without actually seeing them. Explain how the perspective, technique, and compositional features of each painting help create contrasting rhetorical effects. In your analysis, focus on two or three specific points of contrast. Support your analysis by referring to specific details from each painting.

Your analysis should present both your own observations and library research. The essay must include at least FOUR sources documented in proper MLA format, with in-text, parenthetical references and a list of Works Cited. Two of your sources will be primary sources–the two paintings you analyze–and two will be secondary sources–historical or critical commentary relevant to the paintings. (Please note: encyclopedias–including on-line encyclopedias like Wikipedia–do not count as sources for this assignment.)

Give your essay a thesis and a clear, logical organization. Your first paragraph should start with a strong lead, provide any necessary background information, and end with a clear thesis statement. The next paragraph should establish the similarities between the two paintings and describe them. Then, in two or three paragraphs, present the points of contrast between the two paintings. Be sure to support your analysis with specific details from the paintings. In your final paragraph, summarize your main points and clearly present the significance of your analysis. Each paragraph should have a strong topic sentence.

Write your essay in a classic prose style: clear and concise, specific and engaging.

Make every word count.

Due: November 4 (Bring THREE copies of your essay to class for Peer Critiques.)

Here are images of the paintings you can use for your analysis. Click on each image to enlarge it.

Rembrandt. Family Portrait . 1665. Oil on canvas. Herzog-Anton-Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig.

Glackens, William. Family Group . 1910. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington D. C.

First Steps

Gérard, Marguerite. The First Steps . 1788. Oil on canvas. Yuspuov Palace Museum, Leningrad.

van Gogh, Vincent. First Steps . 1890. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Caillebotte, Gustave. Paris, A Rainy Day . 1877. Oil on canvas. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago.

Hassam, Childe. A Rainy Day on Fifth Avenue . 1893. Oil on canvas. The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota.

Download: Essay 3: Compare & Contrast Two Paintings

Comparing of two pieces of art Research Paper

Introduction, formal analysis, subject matter, meaning and function of the objects, works cited.

Throughout the ages, difference in culture has produced varied art and architecture. Art forms produced in different ages have shown different elements of mythological and religious significance, which can be understood only in context of the particular culture. This essay is an effort to compare and contrast two pieces of art, exhibited in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The two pieces of art selected for comparison are Seated Sekhmet, which is an Egyptian sculpture from the New Kingdom Dynasty dated 1309-1352 BC and the other is Statue of Athena Parthenon (the Virgin Goddess) a sculpture made in the Roman Imperial period in the 2 nd or 3 rd CE.

The first is an enthroned figure of a woman with the head of a lioness, seated on a square seat, the second is a marble replica of the original statue made in gold, and ivory statue sculpted by the Roman master sculptor Phidias.

The essay begins with a description of the two art pieces and then moves on to a more formal description of the style and make of the sculptures. The paper then describes what these two statues stand for and the subject matter that they exude. In the second part of the essay, the paper discusses the meaning and function of the sculptures.

This section presents a detailed description of the two sculptures studied in the paper. The first is a hard sculpture etched in stone of the lion headed Egyptian goddess Sekhmet from the Karnak temple. The sculpture depicts the body of a woman mounted with a head of a lioness, and seated on a square stone throne.

The statue is made in granite. The statue was found in the temple of Mut at Karnak, made during 1391-1352 BCE. The height of the sculpture is 49 13/16” high x 21” wide x 26 ¼” deep (Pinch 134). It is located in the second floor of the Egyptian and Nubian gallery in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The goddess has small eyes, which are intense and prominent jawline.

The facial features of the statue emanate an aura of violence. This is one of the 730 statues found in the Mut temple at Karnak, Egypt. The statue was made during the reign of king Amenhotep III. This is a litany in stone, especially made in granite.

The surface of the statue is clean and gleams of the granite stone with which it is made of and despite the weathering due to centuries of exposure to the arid nature, it still hold intact the details of the sculpture. The head of the goddess is crowned with a headdress, which is probably made of some other material, which is presently missing from the sculpture.

The head of the lioness shows detailed carvings with the whiskers and ruffs. The eye of the sculpture and the muzzle too are clearly visible. Decorative band is visible of the garment of the sculpture and recognizable just below the breast. Both the forearms show considerable wear and tear, especially the right hand. The left hand holds the ankh , which is placed on the left knee of the goddess.

The close knitted dress is sculpted until the nape of her ankle and the hem of the garment is etched with horizontal lines. The goddess is seated on a throne that has black, non-inscribed pillars, which run just above her head. However, the lower vertical bars next to the leg of the goddess have hieroglyphic inscriptions.

The bars on the goddess’s right side reads from right to left and vice versa on the left side. The inscriptions describe the goddess and her relation to other deities.

The second statue is that of Athena Parthenon, the virgin goddess, placed in the MFA at Boston. The statue is made of stone and bronze. The technique used for building the sculpture is marble from Mt. Penetelikon near Athens. Overall, the statue is 154 cm and weighs 232.7 kg (60 5/8 in., 513 lb.). The statue is mounted on a concrete base of 3 3/8” deep. The statue is a replica made during the Roman period.

The original is a statue in gold and ivory statue was originally kept in the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropilis made in 438 BC by master sculptor Phidias (Pinch 186). The sculpture shows the goddess wearing a helmet, which is flanked with sphinx on either side of the head of the goddess. The visors have visors on either side, which are probably deer. Griffins adorn the cheek pieces of he statue.

The either side of the face of the goddess is delicate curls falling gracefully on her shoulders. Gorgon aegis adorned on the chest of the goddess is edged with snakes (Pinch 187). There are snakes that encircle her wrists and form a knot at the center (Pinch 186). The statue was made of a heavy marble, however, the neck and the head of the statue was made of a lighter marble (Pinch 186).

The joints are secured by the curls that adorn right above their right shoulders, and even the hair on the back of the figure. Some parts of the figure had been restored. The restored portions of the statue are a small part of the left eyelid, the nose tip of the goddess, and her left nostril (Pinch 186). The body of the sculpture has remained intact, and no restoration work was necessary in it.

The troughs in the arms showed ancient iron pegs, which were used to hold the weight of the colossal marble figure (Pinch 186). The goddess is adorned in exquisitely carved marble dress that drapes, with minute and extensive folds to the ground. Only a partial right foot is visible through the heavy drape of the goddess’s dress.

Both the figures studied show a completely different physical appearance, make, style, and appearance. This section presented the physical description of the two sculptures. The next section will demonstrate the specialty and substance of the sculptures.

This section discusses the subject matter of the two statues i.e. it delineates what the statues actually depict, what is the relevance of the two subjects to the religious and cultural beliefs of the two civilizations.

The first statue discussed is that of Sekhmet. The statue shows a popularly known figure of the goddess with her head of a lioness. Sekhmet is a solar goddess who is known to be very aggressive (Pinch 187). Pinch describes Sekhmet as the goddess of destruction who is believed to have descended to earth as the Eye of Ra when death first came to earth (187).

She was sent to punish the rebellious humans, and she is believed to have destroyed the whole of humanity. The visual imagery of the figure is that embodies destruction and divinity. The image is appropriate of that of a goddess that embodies a blazing sun and who would destroy all evil with her divine powers (187). Further, the goddess is also linked with disease and pestilences (188).

She is the goddess of curing diseases. The meaning of the name of the goddess is “the powerful one” which also depicts the nature of belief surrounding her (Scott 224). Sekhmet is the goddess of Ptah, the god who created ancient Memphis. Sekhmet is associated with goddess Mut, the consort of Amun god and the major seat of the god is centered in the Mut temple in Karnak (Scott 224).

Ideally, this could have been a parallelism between the Upper and Lower Egypt. The creator god Ptah and his consort Sekhmet reined over the lower Egyptians (187). In the Pyramid text, Sekhmet is called the “parent of the king when he was reborn” (188).

This remake of the Athena Parthenon made by Phidias, is different in its make and technique from the original figure. This is a Roman copy and a fine specimen of the Roman art. The goddess as depicted by the Greeks, etched in gold and ivory was a gleaming representation of religious ritual. Instead, in her new incarnation in marble she stands as a personification of wisdom.

She embodies the intellectual activity of the Romans (Platt 171). In the original model, Athena is stood tall and grandiosely, holding a Parthenon around her (Kleiner 136). Athena is in her full armor and shield, and helmet. However, the roman replica of the Athena, is made with Hellenistic inspiration. The figure became a symbol of literary productions of the time, instead of the traditional religious rites.

The figure has a somberness that can be associated with the library exuding of academic qualities instead of a ritualistic celebration of the divine. Thus, this figure is important in its secular representation from the religious depiction observed in the Grecian figure. The marble figure’s stress was not on ritual activity. It figures neither did invoke authority, as did the Athenian model made by the Greeks.

Traditionally, the first object, the Seated Sekhmet is a statue used for religious rites, enshrined in a temple of worship. Sekhmet was a revered goddess of the Egyptians, and was worshiped as a goddess of destruction and as one who could cure ailments. On the other hand, the marble figure of Athena made in the Roman tradition is a secular figure, epitomizing knowledge and wisdom.

The roman figure is a deliberate attempt to disassociate Athena from her religious significance as demonstrated in its original version made by Phidias. Therefore, there was a clear shift in the religious depiction of Phidas and move towards an emphasis of wisdom and turning the goddess into a national symbol (Moore 89).

A comparison of both the exhibits studied in the paper shows that these two figures were installed with two different perspectives – the first Egyptian statue is that of a religious figure, installed in a temple to evoke fear and reverence. The second, on the other hand, is also of a goddess but depicted as cultural rather than a religious figure.

The first statue was probably worshiped at the temple, while the second stood as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge in a library enclosure. The difference in the cultural depiction of religiosity in the different ages and cultures is clearly delineable through the two sculptures.

Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.

Moore, Albert C. Iconography of Religions: An Introduction. Philadelphia: Fotress Press, 1977. Print.

Pinch, Geraldine. Handbook of Egyptian Mythology. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO , 2004. Print.

Platt, Verity Jane. Facing the Gods: Epiphany and Representation in Graeco-Roman Art, Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. , 2011. Print.

Scott, Gerry D. “A Seated Statue of Sekhmet and Two Related Sculptures.” D’Auria, Sue. Servant of Mut: Studies in Honor of Richard A. Fazzini. Leiden: BRILL, 2007. 223-234. Print.

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Bibliography

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Compare and contrast

• Both images show women seated in interiors with flowers and black is a major part of the composition.
• The Hockney may even be a deliberate reference to the Matisse.
• The black in the Matisse forms a solid flat background to the work, but Hockney’s work places it in the centre of the image. It is not, however, a solid field but one that describes the form of the woman.
• Both images contain flowers that contrast with the black. In the centre of the Matisse there are two white discs and two which he has added abstracted flower heads. In the Hockey, two large flowers interrupt the view of the black blouse creating two large interesting shapes.
• The lower half of the woman in the Hockney is only sketched in and the edges of the work are less dense than the centre. The Matisse, though, is more evenly finished creating a less illusionistic and more ‘allover’ composition.
• The underlying composition of the Matisse is largely an arrangement of rectangles. The Hockney is different. The woman creates a diagonal that runs from top right to the bottom left of the image. The only hint of any background is a thin line that runs almost parallel to the left had side of the drawing. This line is a framing device, as the plant on the right hand side. In the Matisse there is no such device.

This analysis is almost entirely formal, but if pursued more could be revealed about how women are represented or about the colour relations internal to the work (both pictures use pink or lilac as a counter to the severity of the black). The point is that the Matisse becomes a yardstick for the Hockney and vice versa. The implications of this exercise ought be clear. Two works can be brought together to reveal stuff about each other. For a student wanting to explore their own work in terms of others’ (that is, to contextualise their work in some way) it’s simply a matter of substituting one work in a pair with their own. Your work may not measure up to Matisse (not much does) but you will learn something about what you’ve done.

7 thoughts on “ Compare and contrast ”

If anyone wants to read the biggest and best ‘compare and contrast’ exercise undertaken in visual art, I can wholeheartedly recommend T. J. Clark’s ‘The Sight of Death’ It’s reviewed here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/aug/13/art

Thanks Bryan, I found this really useful and I am intrigued to pursue the references.

Bryan, I’m interested that in your discussion about colour no mention is made of either women. Hockney’s subject is referenced from within the tones of the mirror behind the sitter of Matisse’s – in fact most of Hockney’s palette resides in the other’s mirror. Of course we see things in today’s vernacular, where Matisse’s subject is situated within a world and Hockney’s sitter is less tethered – which brings me back to colour.

To be honest, jsumb, it’s just a quick example and I was interested in thinking about the black. As I wrote the piece, more became apparent, which is my point. By placing two images together they reveal stuff about one another. It’s something I’ve begun to use as a tool in my own practice as well: placing drawings of art works in juxtaposition as a way of rethinking them. You can see an example of this on my blog here: https://bryaneccleshall.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/365drawings-show-your-wound/ Your points about the palette that Hockney has used also backs up one of the things I’m always telling students to do: STEAL FROM OTHERS.

It helps when their are similarities, like you have outlined above, Bryan. Trying to compare two disparate works is harder and perhaps of no real educational value. It reminds me of when, as a student, I was asked to write an essay comparing EH Gombrich’s ‘The Story of Art’ with John Berger’s ‘Ways of Seeing’. They were so different in what they set out to do that it made comparison difficult.

A useful tool – and has proved your point with the subsequent discussion – are you testing us? ;0)

This is really useful. Thank you.

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5.7 Comparing art works

One of the most important ways that an art historian can discover more about the relationship between effects, techniques, context and meanings in an art work is to compare it with another art work. For example, a comparison of two works depicting the same subject matter but in different ways might better highlight the effects of the techniques that have been used. This can also reveal much about the way each artist has attempted to convey a possible meaning through their use of form.

Activity 9: Comparing the use of colour in No Woman No Cry and Life

Look at Plates 3 and 7 below and make notes on the differences and similarities in the way that colour is used in each art work.

Use the questions in Table 5 (below) to help you with your answer. Don't forget to consider the relationship between techniques and effects in each art work in terms of:

a. the mood conveyed by the colour in the work

b. the possible use of colour to control the way that you read the work.

Your response to this activity will provide further evidence that you can use when planning an interpretation of No Woman No Cry later. You could consider trying either a table or a mind map to structure your notes. A possible table format is provided below.

How did you get on? To give you an idea of the way in which both mind maps and tables might be used to make comparisons of two art works, I've presented my own, brief, conclusions in both these formats.

5 Ways to Compare Classic and Contemporary Artists

Return to Learn with The Art of Education University

While you may already cover contemporary art in your curriculum, some teachers find it difficult to develop lessons around newer artists. One simple way to incorporate contemporary art is to pair a classic or modern artist from your existing curriculum with a living artist of today.

Introducing your students to contemporary artists helps them make connections with how artists of the past influence artists of today. Students will see that art is constantly evolving and that contemporary artists apply themes and techniques in new and interesting ways. You can have your students identify similarities and differences in writing or as a class discussion. Venn diagrams are a great learning tool that translates easily to remote learning.

5 Artist Pairs Who Bridge the Classic with the Contemporary

1. kehinde wiley and titian.

If you already teach about artists of the Italian Renaissance, like Titian, you can pair his work with the portrait paintings of contemporary artist, Kehinde Wiley . This is an excellent pairing to begin with as Wiley references the pose and expression of Titian’s The Penitent Mary Magdalen (1555-1565) in his portrait, After Titian’s “The Penitent Mary Magdalen” (2009) .

Students will quickly identify how the figures are posed similarly. They will also note how the two pieces are different. The background of Wiley’s portrait is a floral pattern, while Titian’s portrait background has a natural landscape. The figures are male and female and are dressed in clothing, reflecting their time and place.

Using their Venn diagram, students can form an opinion about each work. Ask students to support their opinion with reasons why they think that way. Once students have analyzed the artists’ portraits, they can move on to an artmaking project of their own.

If you already have a project that ties in with the Italian Renaissance, continue with it, but refer to how Wiley’s process included changes in style and pattern. Students may draw a portrait in a classic pose, but with contemporary fashion and an intricate background pattern similar to Wiley.

You could also have students recreate an Italian Renaissance painting as a photograph. This would work particularly well for remote learning. If you have older students with access to design software, they could easily create a digital background and input their Renaissance-inspired portrait.

2. Lisa Brice and Pablo Picasso

Many art teachers are familiar with teaching Pablo Picasso and his various artistic periods, such as Cubism, The Rose Period, and The Blue Period. While teaching The Blue Period, teachers can encourage students to work in a monochromatic color scheme using only the color blue and a range of tints and shades.

Similar to Picasso’s use of the color blue is contemporary painter and visual artist, Lisa Brice. Her paintings reference her experiences growing up in South Africa, and the time she spent living and working in Trinidad .

Again, students can compare and contrast these two artists’ works. Ask students to reflect on how Picasso and Brice may see the world differently and communicate their perspectives through their artwork. While Picasso applied the color blue to represent his own sadness, Brice uses the color blue in reference to Trinidad’s carnival traditions. You can provide students with some contextual information about each artist. Students can make inferences from what they learn.

Once students have been introduced to the artists’ life and work, they can create their own monochromatic drawings or paintings. Review what a value scale is and how to create various shades and tints using different art materials. Have students create a monochromatic value scale in the hue of their choice. Encourage them to choose a color that can communicate emotion or meaning in the same way as Picasso and Brice.

3. Kadir Nelson and Norman Rockwell

As art educators, we want to show students that many artists create work reflecting and critiquing the world around them. Art is not simply about technique and aesthetics, but can also have a message and make a profound impact on popular culture.

The work of Norman Rockwell and his illustrations for The Saturday Evening Post have become famous as snapshots of daily life, as well as statements about social and political issues. The Four Freedoms (1943) series of oil paintings refer to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union speech. The Problem We All Live With (1964) is considered to be an iconic image of the Civil Rights Movement .

Contemporary artist and writer, Kadir Nelson, has similarly used his artwork to honor the life of George Floyd and depict the social uprising and protests of 2020. His work has been featured on the cover of The New Yorker and Rolling Stone .

Students can analyze these works individually and write or discuss their own thoughts and opinions about how each piece reflects the political and social climate of its time. They can compare and contrast the two artists’ works. They can research speeches, essays, and articles that speak to the topics the artwork is referencing.

Students can create their own magazine or newspaper illustrations concerning issues they are passionate about. Ask students to consider the big topics they discuss with peers, or at home with their family. Ask them to think about how they would create a cover illustration to visually represent that topic in a way that is universally understood. They can use photography, magazine clippings, design software, drawing or painting materials, etc. to create a finished cover.

4. Eyez and Keith Haring

Keith Haring is known for using his own language of iconic symbols and imagery to create instantly recognizable work. From his drawings in the subways of New York City to public murals all over the world, Haring used semiotics to create his own visual language.

Peat “Eyez” Wollaeger is a contemporary artist in the St. Louis, Missouri area. He uses his signature eye design to create colorful characters and street art. He uses his art to bring objects to life on the street and believes that “Eyez are the window to your soul.”

Similar to Haring, Eyez’s work is not limited to street art. He uses his designs to create prints, stickers, clothing, and household objects. This is a great example to share with students to have them think about different design applications for their artwork. Many of today’s contemporary artists market themselves with merchandise and social media in addition to the original art they create.

Students can compare and contrast these two artists and the work they’ve created as street art as well as producing prints and merchandise. You can have discussions about why an artist would want to reach the masses rather than the art elite. Students can make their own signature symbol or visual vocabulary, similar to Haring and Eyez. They can sketch ideas for their own line of merchandise that somehow incorporates their symbols.

5. Victoria Villasana and Andy Warhol

It’s safe to say that Andy Warhol was obsessed with all things celebrity. He created many iconic prints of notable figures like Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jackson, to name a few. These prints and paintings were not realistic depictions, but colorful abstractions unique to Warhol’s process.

Victoria Villasana is a textile artist born in Guadalajara, Mexico. She creates embroidery patterns on top of images. She places her artwork in the streets and has become well known for her rebellious femininity and acute cross-cultural imagery .

Many of Villasana’s embroidered images feature celebrity portraits like David Bowie, Maya Angelou, Frida Kahlo, and Rihanna. The colorful yarn is left uncut and hangs below the image frame.

Both artists utilize image reproductions of celebrities but use their artistic style and vision to alter the images with bright colors. Students can compare and contrast the artists’ work and processes. Students can then enjoy altering images of their own celebrity heroes with various art supplies to breathe new life to the original portraits.

Final Thoughts

Compare and contrast activities give students a great opportunity to look closely at the artists they’re studying. In order to identify similarities and differences, students will need to analyze the artist’s use of elements of art and principles of design. You can encourage them to use some of their art vocabularies in their critique of the artists’ works.

Whether you are teaching in-person or remotely this school year , these artist pairs can provide some great learning and project inspiration for your students. Don’t be afraid to include more contemporary artists in your curriculum! Look for natural connections to what you already teach and show students how art is constantly looking to the past to create a new future.

How do you use Venn diagrams in the art room? What contemporary and classic pairs have you compared in your curriculum? What contemporary artists have you discovered recently that you hope to bring into your teaching?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Jordan DeWilde

Jordan DeWilde, a high school art educator, is a former AOEU Writer. He aims to encourage students’ individual creativity through a diverse and inclusive curriculum.

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Comparison of Two Artworks

One of the most famous art periods is the Renaissance era, which is divided into the Early Renaissance marked between 1400 AD and 1475 AD, and the Late Renaissance, which thrived between 1525 AD and 1600 AD. Artworks created over this period are known for their revolutionary ideas as enlightened artists supported each other, and many talented personalities with diverse skills were revealed. Probably, generous financial support of painters at that time stipulated a drastic change of behavior among different artists seeking to provide unique artworks. Particularly, the period is known for the artists’ rejection of the medieval art to include personal fiction as a way of individualism. In order to understand the quiddity of the Renaissance, this paper will compare The Last Judgment created by Michelangelo and The Battle of Alexander at Issus painted by Altdorfer.

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“The Last Judgment” by Michelangelo

The Last Judgment is a fresco painting by Michelangelo, which was executed on the wall behind the altar in the Sistine Chapel. The painting shows the last judgment or the condemnation of man after the second coming of Christ.

The painting was created between 1512 and 1536 after being commissioned by one of the Catholic popes. A study of the period within which the painting was created reveals that it was made during the Late Renaissance. At a glance, the fresco is satiated with many nude figures that look brutal to the viewer. However, a closer contemplation unravels that all the people are focused on the central figures, which are Jesus Christ and his mother Virgin Mary. Mary was painted as if she looks away from Christ since she seems impressed with the happenings of the last judgment. Christ, on the other hand, looks in the opposite direction, and another peculiarity is that he is not entirely nude as the people that surround him (Alte).

There is a deep symbolism in a portrayal of Christ and Mary surrounded by people doomed for different destinations. The people on the left seem destined for the blissful eternity while the people on the right seem destined for condemnation in purgatory. At the top left, there are those who look like angels, carrying the crown of thorn and the cross. However, angels situated at the top right corner are struggling with some enormous pillar.

The artist used the Bible as his main source of inspiration. However, the artwork goes beyond the Bible since Michelangelo included his own imaginations of the last judgment. For example, the nudity shows the equalization of all figures unlike Christ and his mother who have some coverings to hide their nakedness.

Dominant elements of the fresco are the sky, which formed the main background, and the tones of flesh of the saints and the non-saints. This means that the painting is more monochromatic as opposed to being chromatic.

Later, the fresco was restored, which helped in bringing out the chromatic part of the painting since colors such as green, yellow and orange can be seen amidst the unification and animation of the complex scene (Zawie).

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“The Battle of Alexander at Issus” by Altdorfer

The Battle of Alexander at Issus is a painting by Albrecht Altdorfer that was created between 1480 and 1538. The oil painting, measured between 158 and 160 cm, was made on panel. This unique piece of art is preserved at The Alte Pinakothek Museum in Germany.

The painting of Altdorfer as well as the one of Michelangelo belongs to the Late Renaissance, but it reflects the battle of Issus that took place in 333BC. In this battle, the Persian Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great. The artwork was commissioned by one of the Dukes who wanted to make it another wall hanging in his residence. The artwork represents Alexander’s history with one of the contemporary wars during the Renaissance period, which is thought to have inspired the artist.

The artist is also thought to have been inspired by the Alps due to his travel through the mountains in Southern Germany. Apart from this, the painting is believed to have some religious influences as the artist was one of the Danube School’s painters who drawn their inspirations upon historical and biblical motifs.

The main aim of Altdorfer was to show his viewers the achievements of the winning troops against the foreign barbarians. Because of this, the artist did not portray the exact event since it was meant to be an allegory. The painting features an anachronism style combined with symbols instead of using images that would show the exact happenings.

A simple view of the painting shows a broad sky and combatant people at the front. However, a closer look reveals that there are some people at the forefront. The troops supposed to represent Alexander the Great are wearing steel amours while the enemy’s troops can be differentiated with the red turbans on their heads. Darius, the leader of the enemy, is shown being chased by Alexander the Great who is riding a horse with a spear directed towards him (Alte Pinakothek).

In the background is a dreamlike sky with the moon and the sun situated on different sides. The sun is situated behind the mountains while the moon is situated in the upper corner of this artwork. The sun is thought to represent the West while the moon is thought to represent the Muslims. Everything in this painting is fictional including the battle land, the mountain, and the town that is situated behind the battlefield. The river Nile and the Island of Cyprus are also seen in the background is. All these elements are hard to find in one area, which shows fictional part of the painter. The artwork has a sign at the top, which explains the historical events represented by the author.

Similarities between the Two Artworks

One distinct similarity between the two artworks is that they were created during the Renaissance art period. As it was previously mentioned, The Last Judgment was painted between 1512 and 1536 while The Battle of Alexander at Issus was created between 1480 and 1538. Both artists were encouraged to paint the two artworks through commissioning. Michelangelo was commissioned by the pope while Altdorfer was commissioned by the Duke.

Analyzing the aspects of the paintings, the two artworks have the sky as the background, which is painted in blue in both cases. Moreover, there are some similarities in the color use of the two paintings. After The Last Judgment was renovated, some colors such as orange, green and yellow were added. The same colors are present at Altdorfer’s painting, Battle of Alexander at Issus. The turbans worn by Darius’s troops were painted in orange. Darius’s troops also have orange banners to differentiate them from Alexander the Great’s troops. The frame that describes the painting also has some orange color; similar shades are evident in some parts of the sun. Despite the fact that paintings show manifold events, such as the last judgment and the war, the main aspect that unites them is the presence of many people with different destinies.

The two artworks do not show a real representation of the whole event. The reason is that the authors used their imaginations to explain the proceedings of some crucial episode. Michelangelo was inspired by the Bible, but his painting does not represent the event as explained in the Bible. As for me, a redundant nudity shows the last judgment is fictional. On the contrary, Altdorfer was inspired by the Battle of Issus. He did not represent the battle as it was in reality, but used some other elements to highlight his imagination. For example, the River Nile, the city and the Alps appear at the same background, which seem fantastic in the real world. Such an insight can be explained by Altdorfer’s fascination with the Alps. His incomparable imagination led to the creation of the background’s objects, which include the city, the moon, the sun, the mountains, and the river.

Differences between the Two Artworks

One of the major differences between the two pieces of art is that The Last Judgment is a fresco painting while the Battle of Alexander at Issus is an oil painting on panel. In addition, The Last Judgment shows the events during the great account while the events of the Battle of Alexander at Issus represent a raging historical encounter.

The Battle of Alexander at Issus is chromatic while a scale of colors used in The Last Judgment is monochromatic compared to other frescos, which can be seen in temples all over the world. The Last Judgment focuses on the Christ and the Mother while the Battle of Alexander the Great is torn between the battle and the background, which attracts attention to the city, the skies, and other features. There are many nude people in Michelangelo’s work, which makes the painting a controversial one. This is quite different from Altdorfer’s painting, which concentrates on the battle and the spectacular background.

In conclusion, The Last Judgment by Michelangelo and The Battle of Alexander at Issus by Altdorfer have similarities as well as differences. On the one hand, the colors, the background and the themes are somehow similar. On the other hand, the paintings differ in the materials and the purpose of their creation.

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