Topic: Art History

Guidelines for Art History Research Paper: Follow the exact guidelines from the book, “A Short Guide to
Writing About Art,” by Sylvan Barnet, Chptr 13, pgs. 270-306. Length: 3-5 typed pages long. Double-
spaced. 12” font with strict 1” margins. Sources: at least three secondary sources that must be listed
in a bibliography at the end. General textbooks will not be acceptable as secondary sources, and the
only approved Internet source is the online Grove Dictionary of Art (Oxford Art Online). When citing an
article in the Grove Dictionary of Art, be sure to look for the name of the author of the article you
are citing—it is usually either in the left margin or at the end of the article. Articles in art
history journals, which you access through Jstor, are acceptable sources.
Include a Title, which conveys the content in an intriguing way without being silly or outrageous.
Include an Introduction. This is your first paragraph setting out what your paper will do and hinting
at the conclusions. Include a thesis statement either at the start or end of the paragraph. Don’t
forget a conclusion, in which you sum up your main points. Make every effort to link your topic to the
themes within Baroque and its magnificence. All quotations are to be marked as such and acknowledged
fully in your footnotes.
Endnotes: use them! Art history papers do not use parenthetical notes. Follow the format for endnotes
in Sylvan Barnet’s Guidebook. Bibliography: a list of your secondary sources, arranged alphabetically
after the endnotes. Follow the format for bibliography in Sylvan Barnet’s guidebook. Illustrations:
provide illustrations for the works of art you discuss. Number your illustrations and provide captions
(name of artist, title of work of art, present location) at the end of your paper. In your text, you
should refer to the illustration within parentheses after the title of the work of art: e.g., Bernini,
Cathedra Petri (fig. 1). See further tips in Sylvan Barnet’s guidebook. Titles of paintings are
underlined or italicized! Number your pages!
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Message to professor from student:
A painting that struck me in class was that of Rigaud’s depiction of Louis XIV, in royal portraiture,
and his “glamorous” legs. I thought it would be a brilliant endeavor to have a look into Baroque
painters’ portrayal/depiction of their subjects legs, their pose, and their garments, and what was the
underlying message; Essentially that the depiction was indeed calculated, and, neither negligent nor
random. I will use as well as Rigaud’s Louis XIV (1701), and Rigaud’s Philip V (1701), and possibly one
or two more pieces, offering more noble portraiture support.
Professor’s response to student:
So, for Rigaud’s Louis XIV, you might ask: What was the prevailing fashion for men in this period? You
must incorporate the stockings and shoes worn as well (those high-heeled red shoes of Louis). Be
certain to use specific names of each piece of clothing. Regarding his pose, (assuming a dancer’s 4th
position), then you must include: When were dance positions first established? What do we know about
Louis as a dancer? And, did he participate in court dances around the time of Rigaud’s portrait? How do
all these components support your thesis statement?
By way of comparison, you might look for a few comparable noble state portraits with the full-length
portrayal, including legs, of other Baroque kings before and after Louis, such as the Spanish king,
Philip IV Habsburg, and/or the English Charles I (Stuart). How are they dressed (and why,) and do they
expose leg similarly or differently? What does their pose mean or how does it prove different from your
main subject of Louis XIV? Were male fashions different at their respective courts? Did these other
subjects participate in dance performances? You will have to look for a book or two on the history of
Costume with discussion of 17th-century dress, and on the history of Dance with a section on 17th-
century practices. Please contact me if you need to add a fourth or fifth page to this research paper.
The more in depth and quality info you can include, the better, without dragging it on. Concise and
scholarly are my requirements. This will be turned in to “TurnItIn”.com so it must be 100% ORGINAL
writing.

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