Option 1: Catalogue

You will create an illustrated written catalogue for an exhibition of 10-12 works of art, for which you will choose the theme, but they must be related to pilgrimage.  You should think about what the theme of you show will be and start to peruse books to find the ones you would like to examine more carefully and report on. You should submit a proposal, with the theme of your treatment, a preliminary (working) bibliography by February 9th.  You will build your show around a theme you develop in relationship to the works will choose from various sources. Your catalogue will include an essay explaining the theme you have chosen and entries for each item, to describe the object, give pertinent data about its creation, use, context, and history, which you will glean from your research, and references for further information.

Thematic essay:  This should be 3-4 pages, in which you define the parameters and the theme of your exhibition and how it relates to late medieval pilgrimage.  Discuss in detail what you used as criteria for assembling the group of works, what you will discuss in relationship to them as a group, and any limits and limitations there are for your study.  You may define the theme as narrowly or as broadly as you like as long as your logic is convincing and coherent and the exhibition and the written entries support your discussion, and vice versa. Your rationale does not necessarily have to be centrally focused on them as works of art, but you must take into account the artistic means which were used to give form to ideas.  If they exemplify a particular spiritual or cultural concept or practice, the introductory essay should deal with that in whatever detail is necessary, and the bibliography for that portion of the catalogue should support the theme.   

Catalogue entries:  You will provide an image, professionally-presented, and write an entry for each of the 10-12 works.  What is contained in these will depend upon how you have defined your theme and how you relate each of the works to that theme, but they must include the following:

·        Carefully framed image with caption that includes: Artist, title, date, medium, dimensions, location, source of your image.  Each should be assigned a figure number, based on the order of introduction of the works. (See the samples on my office window for models).

·        Discussion of how the work fits into your theme, what is significant or distinctive about that work, and whatever sort of formal analysis supports your selection of it as an exemplar of your theme. This will be approximately one page per object/entry.

·        Annotated bibliography for that particular work, or its type, origin, iconography, content, or whatever additional information you deem appropriate to the object.  

·        If it seems more appropriate to create a single cross-referenced bibliography for the collection of entries and the introductory essay, this will be acceptable as long as it is presented clearly and professionally, with ease of the reader in mind.

Option 2: Term Paper:

Either in the individual entries or separately and cross-referenced, as noted.  Total number of entries will be 12-20, and will include professional journal articles and books.  You will do scholarly library research (not just on the internet), including materials from interlibrary loan, and formulate an intellectually sound study, which will be well-written and professionally-presented.

You will be graded on conception and execution.  The project is a requirement of the course and must be turned in on April 3rd.  Late projects will not be accepted and failure to turn the project in will result in failure of the course.  It is worth 100 of the 525 points for the semester’s work.   It will be evaluated with regard to the following: