What effect did this have on the availability of art for the people of that time? How have other processes and techniques of mass media affect cultures past and present?

Final, 6 page Term Paper (not including Bibliography) (Double spaced, 12 pt type). Choose your topic from those listed below. The paper should contain a bibliography with at least six sources. Use MLA citation guidelines and formatting throughout.
THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE HAS THE MLA RULES FOR PAPERS, INCLUDING EXAMPLES:
http://www.writinghelp-central.com/mla.html
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Term Paper Topics: Choose One:
Read The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown (a very exciting mystery novel). Record his references to Renaissance art and art history and find and discuss sources that support or reject his ideas. Research the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci and write about what kind of man he was and how he influenced his contemporaries and those who came after him.
Study the life, times and work of Hieronymous Bosch. Describe three of his paintings in detail, including “The Garden of Delights.” Write about his life and his interests and the religious atmosphere of his time and place. Where do you think his images and ideas came from? Other artists, the church and its doctrines of heaven and hell, magic, alchemy, drugs, etc?
Research the history of printing from the mid 15th century. What effect did this have on the availability of art for the people of that time? How have other processes and techniques of mass media affect cultures past and present? Discuss at least three examples and describe their effects in detail (including how you have been affected personally).
Visions of Hell. Find five examples of paintings that portray what life is like for those sent to “hell.” Compare the visions of the different artists. How are they the same; how are they different? Do the visions vary according to the times they were painted? Where do you think these visions came from? Support your thoughts with historical references. Choose artwork from different periods and you can also choose one modern art form that depicts similar subject matter (for example: a movie).
Study the life and work of Elizabeth Louise VigeeLe Brun (1755-1842). Read her memoirs written in 1835-1837. Describe her work and her life as a female artist. What was it like for a woman to be an artist during her times? Are things different for women today? What things are different and what things are similar? The memoirs are available at: http://www.batguano.com/vlblsmemoirs.html
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Girolamo Savonarola predicted the end of the world in 1500 due to the “degradation” of life in Renaissance Italy. Find five examples of apocalyptic art (art promising the end of the world) from different places and different times (including modern times). Describe the works in detail and describe how the art relates to the moral or amoral conditions and beliefs of the time and place.
On page 604 of your text, study carefully Jan Vermeer’s painting “Woman Holding a Balance.” Go to www.nga.gov/features/slideshows/johannes-vermeer-woman-holding-a-balance.html
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and carefully read all the information about Vermeer and this painting. Write about the artist’s life and then describe the painting. Read about the symbols and meaning. Answer the following questions:
Describe what the “experts” think about the meaning and symbols in this painting.
Do you think the woman is pregnant? If so, what do you think the artist is trying to tell us about life, death, birth, religion, etc.
Discuss your interpretation of each symbolic element in the painting and support your interpretation with information from Vermeer’s life and times.
Write four short papers (250 words each) on ALL four of the following topics:
Essay 1: For this assignment, you will be looking at another Van Gogh painting: “Starry Night”
You can view the painting and zoom in on it using the Google Arts and Culture site: click here to see “Starry Night.”
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While looking at “Starry Night” please write a short essay of 250 words.
Your essay should respond to the following questions:
What do you notice about the style of this painting?
How does this painting use color, style and texture?
Look closely at the image by “zooming” in and write about how Van Gogh’s use of impasto (textured oil paint) is important to this image. Describe how Van Gogh used oil paint.
Essay 2: You watched a video about Salvador Dali’s painting “The Persistence of Memory.”
You can view an image of the painting and learn more about it at this link: “Persistence of Memory” at MOMA.
(Links to an external site.)
After looking over the image, write a short essay of 250 words.
Please cover all of the following:
Do you think this is a great or significant work of art? Why or why not?
What you think this art means or symbolizes?
Will you remember this painting when the class is over?
Essay 3: You watched a video about Picasso’s painting “Demoiselles of Avignon.”
You can view it and read more about it at this link: “Demoiselles of Avignon” at MOMA.
(Links to an external site.)
After looking over the image, write a short essay of 250 words.
Please cover all of the following:
This painting is in the “Cubist” style. Look over the painting and point out the elements of the Cubist style that you see.
How can you tell this is a Picasso? Mention anything about the way it is painted that makes it different from paintings by other artists.
Essay 4: Write a short essay of between 150 and 250 words, responding to the question below:
As a result of taking this class, what have you learned about art history?

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