Oscar Wilde declared, "To the great poet, there is only one method of music -- his own. To the great painter, there is only one manner of painting -- that which he himself employs. The aesthetic critic, and the aesthetic critic alone, can appreciate all forms and all modes. It is to him that Art makes her appeal."

Analyze any work of art--including, but not limited to painting, sculpture, drawing, film, photography, dance, literature, architecture, music, and theater-- evaluating both intellectual and emotional responses that the work of art may elicit. For example, your essay might consider your own perspective and interpretation or compare two divergent perspectives of the piece; it might explain relationships among the structural elements of the work; or based on historical research, explain the perspective of the artist as revealed through elements in the work itself.

As these previous examples suggest, you may use any critical approach to the piece, but repetition of another author’s analysis will not be acceptable. Your essay should aim to make a clear argument about the work of art you have chosen and must be supported with documented sources.