art history thesis examples

Department of the History of Art

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1942-present

DISSERTATIONS IN PROGRESS

As of July 2023

Bartunkova, Barbora , “Sites of Resistance: Antifascism and the Czechoslovak Avant-garde” (C. Armstrong)

Betik, Blair Katherine , “Alternate Experiences: Evaluating Lived Religious Life in the Roman Provinces in the 1st Through 4th Centuries CE” (M. Gaifman)

Boyd, Nicole , “Science, Craft, Art, Theater: Four ‘Perspectives’ on the Painted Architecture of Angelo Michele Colonna and Agostino Mitelli” (N. Suthor). 

Brown, Justin , “Afro-Surinamese Calabash Art in the Era of Slavery and Emancipation” (C. Fromont)

Burke, Harry , “The Islands Between: Art, Animism, and Anticolonial Worldmaking in Archipelagic Southeast Asia” (P. Lee)

Chakravorty, Swagato , “Displaced Cinema: Moving Images and the Politics of Location in Contemporary Art” (C. Buckley, F. Casetti)

Chau, Tung , “Strange New Worlds: Interfaces in the Work of Cao Fei” (P. Lee)

Cox, Emily , “Perverse Modernism, 1884-1990” (C. Armstrong, T. Barringer)

Coyle, Alexander , “Frame and Format between Byzantium and Central Italy, 1200-1300” (R. Nelson)

Datta, Yagnaseni , “Materialising Illusions: Visual Translation in the Mughal Jug Basisht, c. 1602.” (K. Rizvi)

de Luca, Theo , “Nicolas Poussin’s Chronotopes” (N. Suthor)

Dechant, D. Lyle . ” ‘daz wir ein ander vinden fro’: Readers and Performers of the Codex Manesse” (J. Jung)

Del Bonis-O’Donnell, Asia, “Trees and the Visualization of kosmos in Archaic and Classical Athenian Art” (M. Gaifman)

Demby, Nicole, “The Diplomatic Image: Framing Art and Internationalism, 1945-1960” (K. Mercer)

Donnelly, Michelle , “Spatialized Impressions: American Printmaking Outside the Workshop, 1935–1975” (J. Raab)

Epifano, Angie , “Building the Samorian State: Material Culture, Architecture, and Cities across West Africa” (C. Fromont)

Fialho, Alex , “Apertures onto AIDS: African American Photography and the Art History of the Storage Unit” (P. Lee, T Nyong’o)

Foo, Adela , “Crafting the Aq Qoyuniu Court (1475-1490) (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Franciosi, Caterina , “Latent Light: Energy and Nineteenth-Century British Art” (T. Barringer)

Frier, Sara , “Unbearable Witness: The Disfigured Body in the Northern European Brief (1500-1620)” (N. Suthor)

Gambert-Jouan, Anabelle , “Sculpture in Place: Medieval Wood Depositions and Their Environments” (J. Jung)

Gass, Izabel, “Painted Thanatologies: Théodore Géricault Against the Aesthetics of Life” (C. Armstrong)

Gaudet, Manon , “Property and the Contested Ground of North American Visual Culture, 1900-1945” (E. Cooke, Jr.)  

Haffner, Michaela , “Nature Cure: ”White Wellness” and the Visual Culture of Natural Health, 1870-1930” (J. Raab)

Hepburn, Victoria , “William Bell Scott’s Progress” (T. Barringer)

Herrmann, Mitchell, “The Art of the Living: Biological Life and Aesthetic Experience in the 21st Century” (P. Lee)

Higgins, Lily , “Reading into Things: Articulate Objects in Colonial North America, 1650-1783” (E. Cooke, Jr.)

Hodson, Josie , “Something in Common: Black Art under Austerity in New York City, 1975-1990” (Yale University, P. Lee)

Hong, Kevin , “Plasticity, Fungibility, Toxicity: Photography’s Ecological Entanglements in the Mid-Twentieth-Century United States” (C. Armstrong, J Raab)

Kang, Mia , “Art, Race, Representation: The Rise of Multiculturalism in the Visual Arts” (K. Mercer)

Keto, Elizabeth , “Remaking the World: United States Art in the Reconstruction Era, 1861-1900.” (J. Raab)

Kim, Adela , “Beyond Institutional Critique: Tearing Up in the Work of Andrea Fraser” (P. Lee)

Koposova, Ekaterina , “Triumph and Terror in the Arts of the Franco-Dutch War” (M. Bass)

Lee, Key Jo , “Melancholic Materiality: History and the Unhealable Wound in African American Photographic Portraits, 1850-1877” (K. Mercer)

Levy Haskell, Gavriella , “The Imaginative Painter”: Visual Narrative and the Interactive Painting in Britain, 1851-1914” (T. Barringer, E. Cooke Jr)

Marquardt, Savannah, “Becoming a Body: Lucanian Painted Vases and Grave Assemblages in Southern Italy” (M. Gaifman)

Miraval, Nathalie , “The Art of Magic: Afro-Catholic Visual Culture in the Early Modern Spanish Empire” (C. Fromont)

Mizbani, Sharon , Water and Memory: Fountains, Heritage, and Infrastructure in Istanbul and Tehran (1839-1950) (K. Rizvi)

Molarsky-Beck, Marina, “Seeing the Unseen: Queer Artistic Subjectivity in Interwar Photography” (C. Armstrong)

Nagy, Renata , “Bookish Art: Natural Historical Learning Across Media in Seventeenth-century Northern Europe” (Bass, M)

Olson, Christine , “Owen Jones and the Epistemologies of Nineteenth-Century Design” (T. Barringer)

Petrilli-Jones, Sara , “Drafting the Canon: Legal Histories of Art in Florence and Rome, 1600-1800” (N. Suthor)

Phillips, Kate , “American Ephemera” (J. Raab)

Potuckova, Kristina , “The Arts of Women’s Monastic Liturgy, Holy Roman Empire, 1000-1200” (J. Jung)

Quack, Gregor , “The Social Fabric: Franz Erhard Walther’s Art in Postwar Germany” (P. Lee)

Rahimi-Golkhandan, Shabnam , “The Photograph’s Shabih-Kashi (Verisimilitude) – The Liminal Visualities of Late Qajar Art (1853-1911)” (K. Rizvi)

Rapoport, Sarah , “James Jacques Joseph Tissot in the Interstices of Modernity” (T. Barringer, C. Armstrong)

Riordan, Lindsay , “Beuys, Terror, Value: 1967-1979” (S. Zeidler)

Robbins, Isabella , “Relationality and Being: Indigeneity, Space and Transit in Global Contemporary Art” (P. Lee, N. Blackhawk)

Sen, Pooja , “The World Builders ” (J. Peters)

Sellati, Lillian , “When is Herakles Not Himself? Mediating Cultural Plurality in Greater Central Asia, 330 BCE – 365 CE” (M. Gaifman)

Tang, Jenny , “Genealogies of Confinement: Carceral Logics of Visuality in Atlantic Modernism 1930 – 1945” (K. Mercer)

Thomas, Alexandra , “Afrekete’s Touch: Black Queer Feminist Errantry and Global African Art”  (P. Lee)

Valladares, Carlos , “Jacques Demy” (P. Lee)

Verrot, Trevor , “Sculpted Lamentation Groups in the Late Medieval Veneto” (J. Jung)

Von-Ow, Pierre , Visual Tactics: Histories of Perspective in Britain and its Empire, 1670-1768.”  (T. Barringer)

Wang, Xueli , “Performing Disappearance: Maggie Cheung and the Off-Screen” (Q. Ngan)

Webley, John , “Ink, Paint, and Blood: India and the Great Game in Russian Culture” (T. Barringer, M. Brunson)

Werwie, Katherine , “Visions Across the Gates: Materiality, Symbolism, and Communication in the Historiated Wooden Doors of Medieval European Churches” (J. Jung)

Wisowaty, Stephanie , “Painted Processional Crosses in Central Italy, 1250-1400: Movement, Mediation and Multisensory Effects” (J. Jung)

Young, Colin , “Desert Places: The Visual Culture of the Prairies and the Pampas across the Nineteenth Century” (J. Raab)

Zhou, Joyce Yusi, “Objects by Her Hand: Art and Material Culture of Women in Early Modern Batavia (1619-1799) (M. Bass, E. Cooke, Jr.)

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Art History Research at Yale: Dissertations & Theses

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WHAT EXPERT RESEARCHERS KNOW

A thesis is typically the culminating project for a master's degree, while a dissertation completes a doctoral degree and represents a scholar's main area of expertise. However, some undergraduate students write theses that are published online, so it is important to note which degree requirements the thesis meets. While these are not published works like peer-reviewed journal articles, they are typically subjected to a rigorous committee review process before they are considered complete. Additionally, they often provide a large number of citations that can point you to relevant sources. 

Find Dissertations & Theses at Yale

Dissertations & Theses @ Yale University A searchable databases with dissertations and theses in all disciplines written by students at Yale from 1861 to the present.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Graphic Design​ Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 600 individual theses from 1951 to the present. The theses are most often in book format, though some have more experimental formats. Individual records for the theses are also available in the library catalog.

Yale University Master of Fine Arts Theses in Photography Finding aid for Arts Library Special Collections holdings of over 300 individual Master of Fine Arts theses from 1971 to the present. The theses are most often in the format of a portfolio of photographic prints, though some theses are also in book form. Individual records for the MFA theses are also available in the library catalog.

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Undergraduate Program - Writing a Thesis

• Created by Marcus Mayo , last modified on Jan 31, 2024

Pursuing a Thesis

Senior Concentrators wishing to graduate with honors in the Department must produce a senior thesis and carry academic standing of Group II or better, with a minimum GPA of 3.00 in concentration grades. In deciding whether one wishes to fulfill the honors requirements, students should consider their academic interests, commitment to independent research, and other deadlines and obligations during the thesis year. Many students find the task of producing a substantial piece of critical scholarship interesting and rewarding, but others find the senior thesis can become a frustrating and unwieldy burden. Some students prefer the freedom to take elective courses or savor extra-curricular pursuits during their last year at the College unhampered by the encroaching demands of thesis preparation. In general, it may be remarked that students are unlikely to do well in the honors program who are not already proven practiced writers committed to the process of scholarship; the senior thesis is not the place to acquire basic skills in writing, design, and/or research. In considering the Department's honors requirements, it should be remembered that students with honors grades overall may graduate with University Honors (Cum Laude) even if they do not receive Honors in History of Art and Architecture.

Department Timeline of Thesis Preparation 

A schedule of departmental dates and deadlines relative to the thesis will be available by the beginning of each Fall Term. The thesis writer and faculty thesis adviser should agree on a working schedule which will adequately conform to these deadlines.

Concentrators undertaking a thesis are required to enroll in HAA 99A (fall) and B (spring) for course credit. Students in the architecture track pursuing a design thesis should enroll in HAA 92r (fall) and 99B (spring). Joint concentrators will enroll in the 99 course of their primary concentration.

Overseen by the Senior Thesis Adviser, HAA 99A –“The Senior Thesis Seminar” – will meet several times during the fall semester for two-hour sessions devoted to facilitating the preparation and writing of a thesis. These sessions will cover such topics as compiling a bibliography, using archives, the use of key technology and software, and constructing and presenting an effective argument. All concentrators pursuing a written thesis project are required to enroll in this seminar. Joint concentrators enrolled in another department’s thesis seminar, and HAA design thesis students enrolled in HAA 92r, are welcome and encouraged to attend some or all sessions of 99A in addition to their primary thesis preparation course.

Late in the fall semester, each concentrator pursuing a thesis will deliver a twenty-minute presentation on the thesis topic, illustrated with digitally projected images, at the Senior Thesis Presentations. All departmental faculty and students will be invited to these presentations. By the end of winter break, each student will submit a complete first draft of the thesis, complete with illustrations.

Overview of Key Dates for Thesis Preparation

These dates apply to all HAA students wishing to pursue an honors thesis. For further criteria specific to students preparing a design thesis in the Architecture Track, see Academic Requirements: Design Thesis in the Architecture Track

Please consult the Senior Thesis Seminar Canvas site, or reach out to the Undergraduate Program Coordinator, for specific dates.

Spring Semester, Junior Year

• February: Initial Meeting. Junior concentrators are invited to meet with the Senior Thesis Adviser for an introduction to the senior thesis writing process.
• Early April: Short Proposals Due. Students submit a basic proposal outlining preliminary ideas, along with a list of potential faculty advisers. Faculty advisers are assigned to thesis projects in late April or early May.
• Late April: Applications due for Pulitzer and Abramson Travel Grants. See Undergraduate Prizes, Grants and Opportunities for details on grants and applications. Information on how to apply will be provided by the Undergraduate Program Coordinator. Grant recipients will be notified by email.

Fall Semester, Senior Year

• During the semester, students enroll in HAA 99A or 92r and follow course deadlines (Please consult the HAA 99A and 92r Canvas sites for additional details).
• Students meet regularly with their faculty advisers.
• Early December: Senior Thesis Presentations. All students pursuing a thesis will give a twenty-minute presentation to department students and faculty followed by discussion.

Spring Semester, Senior Year

• Late January: First Draft . Before the spring semester begins, students submit a full draft of the thesis, with illustrations, to the faculty adviser for comments.
• Late February/Early March: Second Draft. Students are encouraged to submit the near-final draft to their faculty adviser for a final review before formal submission to the Department.
• Week before Spring Break: Final Submission Deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted. On the afternoon of submission, all students are invited to attend the Thesis Reception.
• Late March: Gallery-Style public reception and presentation of Design Thesis projects. All architecture track students that have prepared a design thesis will present their work informally at this event. All HAA thesis writers, as well as faculty and graduate students, are encouraged to attend.
• April: Thesis Review and Honors Recommendation . Senior Honors Theses are read and critiqued by Members of the Faculty in HAA (and the GSD and the Harvard Art Museums, where relevant) at the request of the Senior Thesis Adviser. Department Faculty meet to vote on final honors recommendations, after which thesis writers will receive an email from the Senior Thesis Adviser notifying them of their thesis grade and recommendation for honors. Students should speak with their Allston Burr Senior Tutor for the anticipated final honors decision of the College.
• Mid-April: Senior Thesis Poster. All senior thesis writers are expected to prepare a digital file for a 24 x 36” poster summarizing the thesis to be exhibited in the HAA Department for the following academic year. A suggested template will be provided and a workshop will be held in late March for assistance with poster preparation. The printing and associated costs are taken care of by the Department. Examples of previous posters can be found here (AY21-22) and here (AY22-23) .

Senior Thesis Adviser 

The process of taking honors and producing the thesis in the Department is overseen for all concentrators by the Senior Thesis Adviser, Professor Carrie Lambert-Beatty. The Senior Thesis Adviser leads the Fall Term thesis-writing seminar (HAA 99A) and directs the meetings for departmental approval once theses have been submitted. 

Faculty Thesis Adviser 

When submitting their initial proposal in the spring of the junior year, students should include a list of three possible faculty advisers. The Department will then match students with advisers according to student preference and faculty availability. Faculty thesis advisers should generally be full faculty members of the History of Art and Architecture Department, although Harvard museum curators with relevant expertise may also serve as advisers at the discretion of the Senior Thesis Adviser. Students in the architecture track pursuing a design thesis must also secure a second adviser from the faculty of the Graduate School of Design. Joint concentrators will generally select one faculty adviser from each department.

The adviser ought to serve as a critic of synthesized ideas and writings/designs, rather than as a director of the project. The adviser should be chosen with consideration more to compatibility in overseeing the process of the work than to being an expert in the field. If you have trouble identifying an appropriate adviser, please consult with the Senior Thesis Adviser or Undergraduate Program Coordinator before the spring deadline for the Thesis Proposal.

Graduate students in the Department of History of Art and Architecture do not advise Senior Theses.

Program Director, Harvard Undergraduate Architecture Studies Track

Megan Panzano, Program Director of the Harvard Undergraduate Architecture Studies Track, oversees the execution of the two studio courses “HAA 96A – Architecture Studio I: Transformations” and “HAA 96B – Architecture Studio II: Connections”, as well as the senior design-thesis seminar “HAA 92R – Design Speculations.” She is available to consult for general advice on the design-thesis process and in finding a suitable advisor from the GSD. She coordinates the assignment of readers to senior design-thesis projects in consultation with the Senior Thesis Adviser and Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

Undergraduate Program Coordinator

The Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Marcus Mayo, is available to consult at any point regarding general questions about the senior thesis writing process. In conjunction with the Senior Thesis Adviser, they will coordinate the initial meeting of concentrators interested in writing a thesis in the spring term of their junior year. The Undergraduate Program Coordinator collects and distributes thesis proposals, summer funding proposals, advisor assignments, as well as completed theses, grades and reader comments. They hold examples of the written requirements (thesis proposal and prospectus) and of the Pulitzer and Abramson Grant applications which students might wish to consult as paradigms.

Academic Requirements – Written Thesis

The writing and evaluation of the thesis is a year-long process, during which the writer enrolls in a senior thesis preparation seminar (HAA 99A) and meets at scheduled intervals with their faculty adviser to formulate, develop, and ultimately refine their thesis work.

The Department encourages seniors to think broadly and explore a problem of interest. The thesis topic does not necessarily have to be within the writer's declared major field, except when required for a joint concentration, in which case, the topic must address an issue shared by both concentrations. The thesis should demonstrate an ability to pose a meaningful question, present a well-reasoned and structured argument, and marshal appropriate evidence. The student should apply a clear methodology and be aware of the assumptions behind the argument, the possible deficiencies of the sources and data used, and the implications of the conclusions. The various parts of the thesis should cohere in an integrated argument; the thesis should not be a series of loosely connected short essays. A primary expectation of the thesis is that it is a work of independent scholarship, directed and crafted by the student, with the thesis adviser serving in a capacity of "indirect overseeing of the project."

There is no set pattern for an acceptable thesis. The writer should demonstrate familiarity with scholarly methods in the use of sources, but this should not be the sole criterion for evaluation. Of equal if not greater importance is the development of the central argument and the significance of the interpretation. A thesis may be research on a little-studied problem or a perceptive reassessment of a familiar question. A well-pondered and well-presented interpretive essay may be as good a thesis as a miniature doctoral dissertation.

Skill in exposition is a primary objective, and pristine editing is expected. The Department encourages writers to keep to a short page count, so as to craft a clear, concise paper, and further edit it to an exemplary presentation. In general, a History of Art and Architecture thesis will have a text ranging from 20,000 to 25,000 words. Students are encouraged to explore the resources available to thesis writers at the Harvard College Writing Center .

The writer must indicate the source of material drawn from others' work, whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized. Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including requirement to withdraw from the College.

Academic Requirements: Design Thesis in the Architecture Track

The HAA Architecture Track asks students to select an Area of Emphasis for fulfillment of their degree -- either Design Studies or History and Theory. Students wishing to pursue an honors thesis in the History and Theory Area of Emphasis will usually complete a written senior thesis paper and presentation on the same model as the thesis for general concentrators (see Academic Requirements: Written Thesis ).

Students in the Design Studies Area of Emphasis who wish to pursue a thesis project may choose either a traditional thesis or a design thesis project. Design theses are creative thesis projects featuring a combination of written analysis and visual and physical design materials, as described below.

Course Requirements for Honors Consideration with a Design Thesis

Senior year – fall term.

• HAA 92r Design Speculations Seminar – required
• Course prerequisite: Completion of either HAA 96A (“Transformations”) or HAA 96B (“Connections”) studios.
• This course requires that students secure a pair of faculty advisers – one from Harvard History of Art and Architecture (HAA) Faculty and one from the Harvard GSD to support their research work within the course; course faculty advisers then serve as the faculty thesis advisers for the design thesis.
• Megan Panzano, GSD Architecture Studies Director, and Jennifer Roberts, HAA DUS, can both help make faculty adviser connections for students pursuing this path.
• (optional) HAA 99A Senior Thesis Tutorial – attendance in this seminar is encouraged but not required in parallel with HAA 92r.
• Presentation of design work to HAA and select GSD Faculty as part of HAA Thesis Colloquium in December) – required

Senior Year – Spring Term

• Throughout the semester: Advising meetings with individual faculty advisers to guide production and iterative refinement of design work (architectural analytical drawings and/or physical models), and edits to digital presentation made in fall term HAA Thesis Thesis Presentations.
• March 08, 2024, 12:00 pm EST: Submission of final senior thesis design project including digital images and written text as a single PDF file (see “ Submission Requirements for Honors Consideration ”).
• March 29, 2024 (date subject to change and TBC): Participation in a gallery-style final presentation with faculty and peers after submission of thesis . The design presentations for the gallery-style event should include an updated digital presentation comprised of the project title, author’s name, the most current versions of all elements listed below in the Final Project Requirements (with the exception of the Written Manifesto which should be consolidated to a single slide containing 3-4 sentences of a thesis statement capturing the topic of study, a position on this topic, your claim about design agency to address this topic, and specifically, what design elements you’ve explored in your thesis in this address).  Students may elect to also print or plot selected original design drawings they produced (analytical or projective) from their digital presentation to pin up in the space.  Likewise, students are encouraged to bring any sketch and/or final models they have created to display as well.
• April 8, 2024 : Preparation of a digital file for a 24 x 36” poster summarizing the thesis to be exhibited in the HAA department for the academic year to follow. A suggested template will be provided and a workshop will be held on March 26 (2024, date subject to change and TBC) for assistance with poster preparation. Examples of previous posters can be found here (AY21-22) and here (AY22-23) .

Submission Requirements for the Design Thesis Project (due March 08, 2024, 12:00 pm EST)

A single multi-page PDF file labeled with student’s full last name and first initial should be submitted. It should contain the following elements and should incorporate thesis research and design work from both fall and spring terms.

• Assemble a visual bibliography of references for your research project. The references included should be sorted into categories of your own authoring in relation to the research. Each reference should be appropriately cited using the Chicago Manual of Style, and each reference should also include an affiliated image. The bibliography should include a brief (approx. 200-word) annotation, describing the rationale behind the sorted categories.
• A written design manifesto of a minimum of 2,000 words that concisely articulates the issues, problems, and questions embedded in and engaged by your research project. The manifesto should address:
• Discourse : the role and significance of architecture relative to the project topic of interest, and;
• Context : the relationship of the project topic to broader surroundings which include but are not limited to the discipline of architecture, cultural contexts, technical developments, and/or typologies.
• The final statement should reflect deeply upon the character of the design process for the project, and discuss how the design process reinforced, inflected, or complicated the initial research questions. For most students, this final statement will be an elaboration upon the presentation text prepared for the fall senior thesis colloquium. The final text should capture and discuss the design elements that were further explored in the spring term as means to address initial research questions (i.e. include written descriptions of the drawings and/or physical models produced in relation to the thesis topic).  
• A visual drawing or info-graphic that describes the process of design research undertaken for your topic. This should include the initial criteria developed for evaluating the project, the steps taken in examining the topic, the points in the process where it became necessary to stop and assess outputs and findings, and final adjustments to the methodology as the project neared completion.
• High resolution drawings, animations, and/or diagrams and photographs of physical models  (if applicable)  that were produced through research. These should be assembled in single-page layouts of slides to follow preceding elements listed here.

Grading of the Senior Thesis

Theses are read and critiqued by faculty members applying a higher standard than expected for work written in courses or tutorials. Faculty do make use of the full range of grades, and students should consider that any honors grade is a distinction of merit. If you have any questions, please contact the Senior Thesis Adviser, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, or the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.

SUMMA CUM LAUDE: A summa thesis is a work of "highest honor." It is a contribution to knowledge, though it need not be an important contribution. It reveals a promise of high intellectual attainments both in selection of problems and facts for consideration and in the manner in which conclusions are drawn from these facts. A summa thesis includes, potentially at least, the makings of a publishable article. The writer's use of sources and data is judicious. The thesis is well written and proofread. The arguments are concise and logically organized, and the allocation of space appropriate. A summa is not equivalent to just any A, but the sort given by instructors who reserve them for exceptional merit. A summa minus is a near miss at a summa and is also equivalent to an A of unusual quality.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE: A magna level thesis is a work worthy of "great honor." It clearly demonstrates the capacity for a high level of achievement, is carried through carefully, and represents substantial industry. A magna plus thesis achieves a similar level of quality to a summa in some respects, though it falls short in others; it is equivalent to the usual type of A. A magna thesis is equivalent to an A-. For a magna minus, the results achieved may not be quite a successful due to an unhappy choice of topic or approach; it is also equivalent to an A-.

CUM LAUDE: As is appropriate for a grade "with honors," a cum level thesis shows serious thought and effort in its general approach, if not in every detail. A cum plus is equivalent to a B+, a cum to a B, and a cum minus to a B-. The cum thesis does not merely represent the satisfactory completion of a task. It is, however, to be differentiated from the magna in the difficulty of the subject handled, the substantial nature of the project, and the success with which the subject is digested. Recall that, as students putting extraordinary effort into a thesis most frequently receive a magna, theses of a solid but not exceptional quality deserve a grade in the cum range. When expressed in numerical equivalents, the interval between a magna minus and a cum minus is double that between the other intervals on the grading scale.

NO DISTINCTION: Not all theses automatically deserve honors. Nevertheless, a grade of no distinction (C, D, or E) should be reserved only for those circumstances when the thesis is hastily constructed, a mere summary of existing material, or is poorly thought through. The high standards which are applied in critique of theses must clearly be violated for a thesis to merit a grade of no distinction.

Thesis Readers 

Each thesis will have two readers chosen by the Department. All readers will be asked to submit written comments and grades, which will be factored equally to produce the final grade of the thesis. Individual grades are not released. When grades and comments are distributed, the readers no longer remain anonymous. There exists a procedure by which a writer may request, via the Senior Thesis Adviser, to speak with a reader provided that they are willing to discuss the work in further detail or expound on the written critique.

For joint concentrators, the department will defer the reading process to their primary concentration. Students should reach out to their adviser in their primary concentration for further information.

Grade Report and Honors Recommendation 

At the end of each term, Fall and Spring, the student's progress in the Senior Tutorial (HAA 99) will be graded SAT or UNSAT. At the end of the Department's Honors Review process, the Senior Thesis Adviser calculates a recommendation for Honors based on the factored grades of the thesis and the student's grades in concentration coursework. This recommendation is presented to the Faculty at their meeting in April for review. A faculty vote is taken and this decision is passed as an honors recommendation to the Registrar of the College. For joint concentrators, the faculty will make recommendations to a student’s primary concentration but will defer the final grading process to them. The decision of Final Honors to be granted on the degree is made by the Registrar based on departmental recommendation and the student’s College-GPA. Students should consult with their Allston Burr Senior Tutor to determine what final honors might be anticipated at Commencement.

The needs of the Department for fair deliberation dictate that there may be no report of decisions regarding the thesis until after the Faculty has considered and voted upon each recommendation for honors. After honors recommendations have been voted by the Faculty, students will be notified of the Department's recommendation to the College and will receive an ungraded copy of each evaluation of their thesis. The comments in these evaluations should provide the student with a clear explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the thesis, bearing in mind the difficulties of the field and the type of thesis submitted, and evaluating what was accomplished in terms of what was undertaken, given the student's limitation of time and experience.

Discontinuance of a Thesis 

The process of writing the thesis is a serious commitment of time and energy for both the writer and the adviser. In some cases, however, it might be agreed that the thesis should be discontinued at mid-year. The Senior Tutorial year may be divided with credit through a procedure in which the student must submit a written paper presenting the project and research to that point.

Examples of Past Theses 

Senior Honors Theses which are written by students who graduate Summa or Magna are deposited in the University Archives in Pusey Library . Copies of theses which are awarded the Hoopes Prize are held in Lamont Library . Students are urged to consult past theses as much can be gained in exploring precedent or seeking inspiration.

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School staff and students participate in University-wide research centres such as the St Andrews Institute of Mediaeval Studies and the Scottish Studies Network. Our principal strengths lie in the areas of medieval and Renaissance art, in European and American modernism, the history of photography, the decorative arts in Britain and Museum and Gallery Studies.

For more information please visit the School of Art History home page.

This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

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Showtime the influence of theatrical spectacle on four american modernists , the zoo paintings of gilles aillaud : art engagé and camouflage in france, 1950-1980 , national-ish artists : victorio edades and the founding of filipino modern art , look at the sky : the bird simurgh in text and image in iran (1010-1650) , the maison bonfils in the middle east (1867-1918) : visual technologies, empire, and spectacle .

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Art History MA Thesis: Thesis

View examples of in-progress and completed theses from School students and alumni.

Before beginning work on a master’s thesis, the student must receive the Supervisory Committee's approval of a written proposal. The thesis may be an extension of a seminar paper, and it must demonstrate the student's ability to conduct rigorous research, indicate familiarity with bibliographical and reference materials, and show a capacity for the synthesis and critical evaluation of the material under consideration. A complete draft of the thesis approved by the Chair of the Supervisory Committee must be delivered to each member of the committee at least 30 days before the date of the Final Examination.

Supervisory Committees

Students should consult with the Graduate Program Coordinator and the faculty member of the field in which the student wishes to write a thesis to determine the appropriate chair of the Supervisory Committee. In consultation with the committee chair, the student forms a Supervisory Committee consisting of three faculty members, two of whom must be current members of the Art History faculty, including the committee chair. Adjunct or Emeritus faculty may serve on committees if the committee also includes two regular members of the Art History faculty. One or more members of the committee may be selected from a field other than art history if appropriate to the subject. The Supervisory Committee will be available for consultation with the student and will be responsible for final evaluation of the thesis. The Graduate School does not require notification of the membership of this committee. The committee chair shall keep written records concerning any formal agreements or stipulations regarding the student’s program of study and thesis.

Final Examination

The final examination is an oral defense of the candidate's thesis conducted by the Supervisory Committee. The Supervisory Committee must certify the results of the final examination. At the final examination, the graduate student and at least one Art History faculty member from their committee (or a substitute from the Art History faculty, if necessary) should be physically present when any members participate through audio or electronic conferencing.

Degree Application

Students must apply online to the Graduate School for a master’s degree in the quarter in which they expect to graduate; check the Graduate School website for deadlines . The filing of the online application (warrant) is the responsibility solely of the student, who must be registered for the quarter in which the degree is expected. Master's degree applications are valid for one quarter only; if requirements for the degree are not completed during this quarter the student must file a new application. The thesis must be submitted electronically to the Graduate School by the last day of final examinations of the quarter in which degree requirements are completed. Students will need to apply online in MyGrad for their degree updates and forms and to schedule their defense date. The application for graduation must be completed at least three weeks prior to the defense. The Master’s Supervisory Committee Approval Form and the warrant, generated by the online application, need to be submitted with original ink signatures of all committee members; when this is not possible, email approvals are permitted by the Graduate School. For further instructions, see the Graduate School website .

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Art History Dissertations and Theses

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Synaesthetic Dress: Episodes of Sensational Objects in Performance Art, 1955-1975 

The life and art of Ōtagaki Rengetsu 

Like Life: Royal Portraits of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Ritual Context 

The Thun-Hohenstein Album: Constructing and Commemorating the Armored Body in the Holy Roman Empire 

Situating Contemporary Korean Art in the Age of Globalization 

The Kōfukuji Nan’endō and Its Buddhist Icons: Emplacing Family Memory and History of the Northern Fujiwara Clan, 800-1200 

Embracing Death and the Afterlife: Sculptures of Enma and His Entourage at Rokuharamitsuji 

Picturing Processions: The Intersection of Art and Ritual in Seventeenth-century Dutch Visual Culture 

Familial Identity and Site Specificity: A Study of the Hybrid Genre of Seventeenth-Century Dutch Family-Landscape Portraiture 

Chu-lu : a northern Sung ceramic legacy 

KITAGAWA TAMIJI’S ART AND ART EDUCATION: TRANSLATING CULTURE IN POSTREVOLUTIONARY MEXICO AND MODERN JAPAN 

An American Jesuit Treasury of Religious Art: The Van Ackeren Collection in the Greenlease Gallery at Rockhurst University 

Mother of the Nation: Femininity, Modernity, and Class in the Image of Empress Teimei 

Carved into the Living Rock: Japanese Stone Buddhist Sculpture and Site in the Heian and Kamakura Periods 

Re-Framing the American West: Contemporary Artists Engage History 

The Diamond Ordination Platform of Tongdosa: Buddhist Spaces and Imagery in 18th-century Korea 

A Parade of Pictures: An Examination of the Illustrated Evolution of Gion Matsuri Throughout Japanese History 

Bertram Hartman (1882-1960), an early modernist from Kansas 

The Exotic Gift and the Art of the Seventeenth-Century Dutch Republic 

Upending the Melting Pot: Photography, Performativity, and Immigration Re-Imagined in the Self-Portraits of Tseng Kwong Chi, Nikki S. Lee, and Annu Palakunnathu Matthew 

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Art History

What this handout is about.

This handout discusses a few common assignments found in art history courses. To help you better understand those assignments, this handout highlights key strategies for approaching and analyzing visual materials.

Writing in art history

Evaluating and writing about visual material uses many of the same analytical skills that you have learned from other fields, such as history or literature. In art history, however, you will be asked to gather your evidence from close observations of objects or images. Beyond painting, photography, and sculpture, you may be asked to write about posters, illustrations, coins, and other materials.

Even though art historians study a wide range of materials, there are a few prevalent assignments that show up throughout the field. Some of these assignments (and the writing strategies used to tackle them) are also used in other disciplines. In fact, you may use some of the approaches below to write about visual sources in classics, anthropology, and religious studies, to name a few examples.

This handout describes three basic assignment types and explains how you might approach writing for your art history class.Your assignment prompt can often be an important step in understanding your course’s approach to visual materials and meeting its specific expectations. Start by reading the prompt carefully, and see our handout on understanding assignments for some tips and tricks.

Three types of assignments are discussed below:

• Visual analysis essays
• Comparison essays
• Research papers

1. Visual analysis essays

Visual analysis essays often consist of two components. First, they include a thorough description of the selected object or image based on your observations. This description will serve as your “evidence” moving forward. Second, they include an interpretation or argument that is built on and defended by this visual evidence.

Formal analysis is one of the primary ways to develop your observations. Performing a formal analysis requires describing the “formal” qualities of the object or image that you are describing (“formal” here means “related to the form of the image,” not “fancy” or “please, wear a tuxedo”). Formal elements include everything from the overall composition to the use of line, color, and shape. This process often involves careful observations and critical questions about what you see.

Pre-writing: observations and note-taking

To assist you in this process, the chart below categorizes some of the most common formal elements. It also provides a few questions to get you thinking.

Let’s try this out with an example. You’ve been asked to write a formal analysis of the painting, George Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty , ca. 1800 (created in Britain and now in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond).

What do you notice when you see this image? First, you might observe that this is a painting. Next, you might ask yourself some of the following questions: what kind of paint was used, and what was it painted on? How has the artist applied the paint? What does the scene depict, and what kinds of figures (an art-historical term that generally refers to humans) or animals are present? What makes these animals similar or different? How are they arranged? What colors are used in this painting? Are there any colors that pop out or contrast with the others? What might the artist have been trying to accomplish by adding certain details?

What other questions come to mind while examining this work? What kinds of topics come up in class when you discuss paintings like this one? Consider using your class experiences as a model for your own description! This process can be lengthy, so expect to spend some time observing the artwork and brainstorming.

Here is an example of some of the notes one might take while viewing Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty :

Composition

• The animals, four pigs total, form a gently sloping mound in the center of the painting.
• The upward mound of animals contrasts with the downward curve of the wooden fence.
• The gentle light, coming from the upper-left corner, emphasizes the animals in the center. The rest of the scene is more dimly lit.
• The composition is asymmetrical but balanced. The fence is balanced by the bush on the right side of the painting, and the sow with piglets is balanced by the pig whose head rests in the trough.
• Throughout the composition, the colors are generally muted and rather limited. Yellows, greens, and pinks dominate the foreground, with dull browns and blues in the background.
• Cool colors appear in the background, and warm colors appear in the foreground, which makes the foreground more prominent.
• Large areas of white with occasional touches of soft pink focus attention on the pigs.
• The paint is applied very loosely, meaning the brushstrokes don’t describe objects with exact details but instead suggest them with broad gestures.
• The ground has few details and appears almost abstract.
• The piglets emerge from a series of broad, almost indistinct, circular strokes.
• The painting contrasts angular lines and rectangles (some vertical, some diagonal) with the circular forms of the pig.
• The negative space created from the intersection of the fence and the bush forms a wide, inverted triangle that points downward. The point directs viewers’ attention back to the pigs.

Because these observations can be difficult to notice by simply looking at a painting, art history instructors sometimes encourage students to sketch the work that they’re describing. The image below shows how a sketch can reveal important details about the composition and shapes.

Writing: developing an interpretation

Once you have your descriptive information ready, you can begin to think critically about what the information in your notes might imply. What are the effects of the formal elements? How do these elements influence your interpretation of the object?

Your interpretation does not need to be earth-shatteringly innovative, but it should put forward an argument with which someone else could reasonably disagree. In other words, you should work on developing a strong analytical thesis about the meaning, significance, or effect of the visual material that you’ve described. For more help in crafting a strong argument, see our Thesis Statements handout .

For example, based on the notes above, you might draft the following thesis statement:

In Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty, the close proximity of the pigs to each other–evident in the way Morland has overlapped the pigs’ bodies and grouped them together into a gently sloping mound–and the soft atmosphere that surrounds them hints at the tranquility of their humble farm lives.

Or, you could make an argument about one specific formal element:

In Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty, the sharp contrast between rectilinear, often vertical, shapes and circular masses focuses viewers’ attention on the pigs, who seem undisturbed by their enclosure.

Support your claims

Your thesis statement should be defended by directly referencing the formal elements of the artwork. Try writing with enough specificity that someone who has not seen the work could imagine what it looks like. If you are struggling to find a certain term, try using this online art dictionary: Tate’s Glossary of Art Terms .

Your body paragraphs should explain how the elements work together to create an overall effect. Avoid listing the elements. Instead, explain how they support your analysis.

As an example, the following body paragraph illustrates this process using Morland’s painting:

Morland achieves tranquility not only by grouping animals closely but also by using light and shadow carefully. Light streams into the foreground through an overcast sky, in effect dappling the pigs and the greenery that encircles them while cloaking much of the surrounding scene. Diffuse and soft, the light creates gentle gradations of tone across pigs’ bodies rather than sharp contrasts of highlights and shadows. By modulating the light in such subtle ways, Morland evokes a quiet, even contemplative mood that matches the restful faces of the napping pigs.

This example paragraph follows the 5-step process outlined in our handout on paragraphs . The paragraph begins by stating the main idea, in this case that the artist creates a tranquil scene through the use of light and shadow. The following two sentences provide evidence for that idea. Because art historians value sophisticated descriptions, these sentences include evocative verbs (e.g., “streams,” “dappling,” “encircles”) and adjectives (e.g., “overcast,” “diffuse,” “sharp”) to create a mental picture of the artwork in readers’ minds. The last sentence ties these observations together to make a larger point about the relationship between formal elements and subject matter.

There are usually different arguments that you could make by looking at the same image. You might even find a way to combine these statements!

Remember, however you interpret the visual material (for example, that the shapes draw viewers’ attention to the pigs), the interpretation needs to be logically supported by an observation (the contrast between rectangular and circular shapes). Once you have an argument, consider the significance of these statements. Why does it matter if this painting hints at the tranquility of farm life? Why might the artist have tried to achieve this effect? Briefly discussing why these arguments matter in your thesis can help readers understand the overall significance of your claims. This step may even lead you to delve deeper into recurring themes or topics from class.

Tread lightly

Avoid generalizing about art as a whole, and be cautious about making claims that sound like universal truths. If you find yourself about to say something like “across cultures, blue symbolizes despair,” pause to consider the statement. Would all people, everywhere, from the beginning of human history to the present agree? How do you know? If you find yourself stating that “art has meaning,” consider how you could explain what you see as the specific meaning of the artwork.

Double-check your prompt. Do you need secondary sources to write your paper? Most visual analysis essays in art history will not require secondary sources to write the paper. Rely instead on your close observation of the image or object to inform your analysis and use your knowledge from class to support your argument. Are you being asked to use the same methods to analyze objects as you would for paintings? Be sure to follow the approaches discussed in class.

Some classes may use “description,” “formal analysis” and “visual analysis” as synonyms, but others will not. Typically, a visual analysis essay may ask you to consider how form relates to the social, economic, or political context in which these visual materials were made or exhibited, whereas a formal analysis essay may ask you to make an argument solely about form itself. If your prompt does ask you to consider contextual aspects, and you don’t feel like you can address them based on knowledge from the course, consider reading the section on research papers for further guidance.

2. Comparison essays

Comparison essays often require you to follow the same general process outlined in the preceding sections. The primary difference, of course, is that they ask you to deal with more than one visual source. These assignments usually focus on how the formal elements of two artworks compare and contrast with each other. Resist the urge to turn the essay into a list of similarities and differences.

Comparison essays differ in another important way. Because they typically ask you to connect the visual materials in some way or to explain the significance of the comparison itself, they may require that you comment on the context in which the art was created or displayed.

For example, you might have been asked to write a comparative analysis of the painting discussed in the previous section, George Morland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty (ca. 1800), and an unknown Vicús artist’s Bottle in the Form of a Pig (ca. 200 BCE–600 CE). Both works are illustrated below.

You can begin this kind of essay with the same process of observations and note-taking outlined above for formal analysis essays. Consider using the same questions and categories to get yourself started.

Here are some questions you might ask:

• What techniques were used to create these objects?
• How does the use of color in these two works compare? Is it similar or different?
• What can you say about the composition of the sculpture? How does the artist treat certain formal elements, for example geometry? How do these elements compare to and contrast with those found in the painting?
• How do these works represent their subjects? Are they naturalistic or abstract? How do these artists create these effects? Why do these similarities and differences matter?

As our handout on comparing and contrasting suggests, you can organize these thoughts into a Venn diagram or a chart to help keep the answers to these questions distinct.

For example, some notes on these two artworks have been organized into a chart:

As you determine points of comparison, think about the themes that you have discussed in class. You might consider whether the artworks display similar topics or themes. If both artworks include the same subject matter, for example, how does that similarity contribute to the significance of the comparison? How do these artworks relate to the periods or cultures in which they were produced, and what do those relationships suggest about the comparison? The answers to these questions can typically be informed by your knowledge from class lectures. How have your instructors framed the introduction of individual works in class? What aspects of society or culture have they emphasized to explain why specific formal elements were included or excluded? Once you answer your questions, you might notice that some observations are more important than others.

Writing: developing an interpretation that considers both sources

When drafting your thesis, go beyond simply stating your topic. A statement that says “these representations of pig-like animals have some similarities and differences” doesn’t tell your reader what you will argue in your essay.

To say more, based on the notes in the chart above, you might write the following thesis statement:

Although both artworks depict pig-like animals, they rely on different methods of representing the natural world.

Now you have a place to start. Next, you can say more about your analysis. Ask yourself: “so what?” Why does it matter that these two artworks depict pig-like animals? You might want to return to your class notes at this point. Why did your instructor have you analyze these two works in particular? How does the comparison relate to what you have already discussed in class? Remember, comparison essays will typically ask you to think beyond formal analysis.

While the comparison of a similar subject matter (pig-like animals) may influence your initial argument, you may find that other points of comparison (e.g., the context in which the objects were displayed) allow you to more fully address the matter of significance. Thinking about the comparison in this way, you can write a more complex thesis that answers the “so what?” question. If your class has discussed how artists use animals to comment on their social context, for example, you might explore the symbolic importance of these pig-like animals in nineteenth-century British culture and in first-millenium Vicús culture. What political, social, or religious meanings could these objects have generated? If you find yourself needing to do outside research, look over the final section on research papers below!

Supporting paragraphs

The rest of your comparison essay should address the points raised in your thesis in an organized manner. While you could try several approaches, the two most common organizational tactics are discussing the material “subject-by-subject” and “point-by-point.”

• Subject-by-subject: Organizing the body of the paper in this way involves writing everything that you want to say about Moreland’s painting first (in a series of paragraphs) before moving on to everything about the ceramic bottle (in a series of paragraphs). Using our example, after the introduction, you could include a paragraph that discusses the positioning of the animals in Moreland’s painting, another paragraph that describes the depiction of the pigs’ surroundings, and a third explaining the role of geometry in forming the animals. You would then follow this discussion with paragraphs focused on the same topics, in the same order, for the ancient South American vessel. You could then follow this discussion with a paragraph that synthesizes all of the information and explores the significance of the comparison.
• Point-by-point: This strategy, in contrast, involves discussing a single point of comparison or contrast for both objects at the same time. For example, in a single paragraph, you could examine the use of color in both of our examples. Your next paragraph could move on to the differences in the figures’ setting or background (or lack thereof).

As our use of “pig-like” in this section indicates, titles can be misleading. Many titles are assigned by curators and collectors, in some cases years after the object was produced. While the ceramic vessel is titled Bottle in the Form of a Pig , the date and location suggest it may depict a peccary, a pig-like species indigenous to Peru. As you gather information about your objects, think critically about things like titles and dates. Who assigned the title of the work? If it was someone other than the artist, why might they have given it that title? Don’t always take information like titles and dates at face value.

Be cautious about considering contextual elements not immediately apparent from viewing the objects themselves unless you are explicitly asked to do so (try referring back to the prompt or assignment description; it will often describe the expectation of outside research). You may be able to note that the artworks were created during different periods, in different places, with different functions. Even so, avoid making broad assumptions based on those observations. While commenting on these topics may only require some inference or notes from class, if your argument demands a large amount of outside research, you may be writing a different kind of paper. If so, check out the next section!

3. Research papers

Some assignments in art history ask you to do outside research (i.e., beyond both formal analysis and lecture materials). These writing assignments may ask you to contextualize the visual materials that you are discussing, or they may ask you to explore your material through certain theoretical approaches. More specifically, you may be asked to look at the object’s relationship to ideas about identity, politics, culture, and artistic production during the period in which the work was made or displayed. All of these factors require you to synthesize scholars’ arguments about the materials that you are analyzing. In many cases, you may find little to no research on your specific object. When facing this situation, consider how you can apply scholars’ insights about related materials and the period broadly to your object to form an argument. While we cannot cover all the possibilities here, we’ll highlight a few factors that your instructor may task you with investigating.

Iconography

Papers that ask you to consider iconography may require research on the symbolic role or significance of particular symbols (gestures, objects, etc.). For example, you may need to do some research to understand how pig-like animals are typically represented by the cultural group that made this bottle, the Vicús culture. For the same paper, you would likely research other symbols, notably the bird that forms part of the bottle’s handle, to understand how they relate to one another. This process may involve figuring out how these elements are presented in other artworks and what they mean more broadly.

Artistic style and stylistic period

You may also be asked to compare your object or painting to a particular stylistic category. To determine the typical traits of a style, you may need to hit the library. For example, which period style or stylistic trend does Moreland’s Pigs and Piglets in a Sty belong to? How well does the piece “fit” that particular style? Especially for works that depict the same or similar topics, how might their different styles affect your interpretation? Assignments that ask you to consider style as a factor may require that you do some research on larger historical or cultural trends that influenced the development of a particular style.

Provenance research asks you to find out about the “life” of the object itself. This research can include the circumstances surrounding the work’s production and its later ownership. For the two works discussed in this handout, you might research where these objects were originally displayed and how they ended up in the museum collections in which they now reside. What kind of argument could you develop with this information? For example, you might begin by considering that many bottles and jars resembling the Bottle in the Form of a Pig can be found in various collections of Pre-Columbian art around the world. Where do these objects originate? Do they come from the same community or region?

Patronage study

Prompts that ask you to discuss patronage might ask you to think about how, when, where, and why the patron (the person who commissions or buys the artwork or who supports the artist) acquired the object from the artist. The assignment may ask you to comment on the artist-patron relationship, how the work fit into a broader series of commissions, and why patrons chose particular artists or even particular subjects.

Additional resources

To look up recent articles, ask your librarian about the Art Index, RILA, BHA, and Avery Index. Check out www.lib.unc.edu/art/index.html for further information!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Adams, Laurie Schneider. 2003. Looking at Art . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Barnet, Sylvan. 2015. A Short Guide to Writing about Art , 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Tate Galleries. n.d. “Art Terms.” Accessed November 1, 2020. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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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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Art and Art History Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Fragmented Hours: The biography of a devotional book printed by Thielman Kerver , Stephanie R. Haas

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Assessing Environmental Sensitivity in San Diego County, California, for Bird Species of Special Concern , Eda Okan Kilic

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Empress Nur Jahan and Female Empowerment: A Critical Analysis of a Long-Forgotten Mughal Portrait , Angela N. Finkbeiner

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Seeing King Solomon through the Verses of Hafez: A Critical Study of Two Safavid Manuscript Paintings , Richard W. Ellis

Moving Away from The West or Taking Independent Positions: A Structural Analysis for The New Turkish Foreign Policy , Suleyman Senturk

A Quiet Valley at Roztoky : Testimony of Singularity in the Landscape Imagery of Zdenka Braunerová , Zdislava Ungrova

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Mirror Images: Penelope Umbrico’s Mirrors (from Home Décor Catalogs and Websites) , Jeanie Ambrosio

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Incongruous Conceptions: Owen Jones’s Plans, Elevations, Sections and Details of the Alhambra and British Views of Spain , Andrea Marie Johnson

An Alternative Ancien Régime? Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun in Russia , Erin Elizabeth Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Sarah Sze's "Triple Point": Modeling a Phenomenological Experience of Contemporary Life , Amanda J. Preuss

Cross-Cultural Spaces in an Anonymously Painted Portrait of the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II , Alison Paige Terndrup

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

The Choir Books of Santa Maria in Aracoeli and Patronage Strategies of Pope Alexander VI , Maureen Elizabeth Cox

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Painting Puertorriqueñidad: The Jíbaro as a Symbol of Creole Nationalism in Puerto Rican Art before and after 1898 , Jeffrey L. Boe

Franz Marc as an Ethologist , Jean Carey

Renegotiating Identities, Cultures and Histories: Oppositional Looking in Shelley Niro's "This Land is Mime Land" , Jennifer Danielle Mccall

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Empty Streets in the Capital of Modernity: Formation of Lieux de Mémoire in Parisian Street Photography From Daguerre to Atget , Sabrina Lynn Hughes

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Intervention in painting by Marlene Dumas with titles of engagement: Ryman's brides, Reinhardt's daughter and Stern , Susan King Klinkenberg

Self-fashioning, Consumption, and Japonisme : The Power of Collecting in Tissot’s Jeunes Femmes Regardant des Objets Japonais , 1869 , Catherine Elizabeth Turner

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Kandinsky’s Dissonance and a Schoenbergian View of Composition VI , Shannon M. Annis

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Re-Thinking the Myth of Perugino and the Umbrian School: A Closer Look at the Master of the Greenville's Jonas Nativity Panel , Carrie Denise Baker

I'm Not Who I Was Then, Now: Performing Identity in Girl Cams and Blogs , Katherine Bzura

Manifestations of Ebenezer Howard in Disneyland , Michelle M. Rowland

The assimilation of the marvelous other: Reading Christoph Weiditz's Trachtenbuch (1529) as an ethnographic document , Andrea McKenzie Satterfield

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Rethinking the Monumental: The Museum as Feminist Space in the Sexual Politics Exhibition, 1996 , Devon P. Larsen

Vision and Disease in the Napoleonic Description de l’Egypte (1809-1828): The Constraints of French Intellectual Imperialism and the Roots of Egyptian Self-Definition , Elizabeth L. Oliver

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The articulate remedies of Dolores Lolita Rodriguez , Hyatt Kellim Brown

Negotiating Artistic Identity through Satire: subREAL 1989-1999 , Anca Izabel Galliera

From Chapel to Chamber: Liturgy and Devotion in Lucantonio Giunta’s Missale romanum , 1508 , Lesley T. Stone

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Ensenada , Julia DeArriba-Montgomery

Threatening Skies , Brandon Dunlap

Apocalypth pentagram , Matthew Alan Guest

African Costume for Artists: The Woodcuts in Book X of Habiti antichi et moderni di tutto il mondo , 1598 , Laura Renee Herrmann

The Artist and Her Muse: a Romantic Tragedy about a Mediocre and Narcissistic Painter Named Rachel Hoffman , Rachel Gavronsky Hoffman

Procession: The Celebration of Birth and Continuity , I Made Jodog

The Thornton Biennial: The Kruszka Pavilion: The 29YR Apology , Ethan Kruszka

american folk , Preston Poe

A Simple Treatise on the Origins of Cracker Kung Fu Or Mai Violence , Mark Joseph Runge

"My Journey" , Douglas Smith

Twilight , Britzél Vásquez

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Thesis Helpers

Find the best tips and advice to improve your writing. Or, have a top expert write your paper.

80 Art History Thesis Topics To Skyrocket Your Grades

An art history paper is just as the name suggests, an academic paper concerned with the history and development of art as a study field. Here, you will explore expert art history research topics for your homework. Are you ready? Let’s get done with it already!

Art History Thesis Topics on the Late Gothic Period

• Significant stylistic changes from the Romanesque style of the 12th century
• The relationship between the great cathedrals of Europe and the late Gothic period
• Monumental sculptures in the cathedrals of Europe
• The relevance of Abbey Church of St. Denis in Gothic architecture
• Gothic art in the Notre Dame in Paris
• Manuscript illustration in the Gothic paintings
• A review of the surviving Gothic paintings

Inspiring Thesis Topics Art History

• The artist’s major influences in a particular piece of art
• The role of recurring subjects in art
• Critically evaluate Lorenzo Costa’s Portrait of a Cardinal in his Study
• Why is photogravure used more than encaustic painting?
• Critical features of Abstract Expressionist painting
• Discuss the common motifs in the embroidery and Scandinavian weaving
• Evaluate the Baroque as a significant period of artistic activity

Art History Senior Thesis Topics

• A review of the images used to communicate messages in art history
• The historical and transcultural contexts of visual works
• The history of feminism art portrayal
• The impact of Marxism ideology on the development of art
• A critical analysis of the aesthetic values of art in homes
• The history of signs and symbols in paintings
• Theories that define the history and development of art

Undergraduate Art History Thesis Topics

• Evaluate the development of art in Ancient Greece
• The role of art in historical analysis and learning
• How different were the artists from the expressionism period?
• The impact of Cubism development on the art world
• How did artists preserve ancient artworks, and why?
• What led to the extinction of the Dadaism art movement?
• A study of Leonardo da Vinci’s life history

Impressive Thesis Topics in Art History

• How do the Eastern and Western artworks of the 18th century compare?
• An analysis of the developments leading to modern art
• Comparison between ancient and contemporary artists
• What is the definition of real art?
• Methods of dissecting a complex piece of art in simple words
• The role of nature and life in influencing art
• How art therapy has developed from ancient cultural practices

Art History Photography Thesis Topics

• How to make a distinction between an American and French art photographer
• Are there distinctions between art and photography?
• Why is photography replacing fine art?
• How the printing press has led to the development of photography
• The cultural revolution and its relationship to art history
• Compare and contrast the relationship between photography and ancient art
• Compare and analyze design styles in Picasso’s blue and rose periods

Popular Art History Thesis Topics

• How science has influenced Ancient Greek sculptures
• What led to the shift of the Roman artistic styles in the 4th century?
• The relationship between The Great Wall of China and art.
• The place and role of women and politics in Ancient Rome architecture.
• Representation of males in Ancient Art.
• How did art influence architectural structures in ancient times?
• Why ancient Rome is full of art

Art History Thesis Topics Greek

• The importance of pottery and vases in ancient Greek art.
• A study of the ancient Greek arts periods: Geometric, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic.
• How the Statue of Zeus at Olympia reflects the artistic style of the time.
• Compare and contrast any of these styles of Greek art: the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles of Greek architecture
• Why were Fresco paintings included on or inside many ancient Greek structures?
• Contributions of Polykleitos to the ancient Greek art industry
• What was so unique about Parthenon?

Art History Thesis Topics Impressionism

• The role of impressionists in the art hierarchy
• Why canon and traditions were against impressionism
• The origins of impressionism
• The influence of impressionism on the art process
• A study of the founding members of the Impressionism movement
• Why the pioneers of impressionism used diverse approaches to painting
• The impact of the sketch-like appearance

Modern Art History Topics For High School

• The influence of pop art culture in America
• Materials and styles in Chinese calligraphy
• Evaluate the art of henna in the Middle East, India, and Africa
• Art and cultural inclinations
• Ancient art culture
• The emergence of the Bollywood film industry
• The sense of art in today’s movies and series.’

Ancient Art History Research Paper Topics

• The art of disguising
• Cartoons as a form of art
• Color in art
• Similarities between Picasso and Leonardo Da Vinci
• Is Graffiti vandalism?

Compare and Contrast Topics in Art History

• Baroque vs. Rococo designs
• Renaissance and Baroque Epoch
• Cubism and impressionism
• French vs. American art
• Gothic vs. Neo-Gothic periods

Did you find a professional topic from the list above? If not, you can use our quality thesis writing help online and get your assignment sorted right away. It’s simple, fast, pocket friendly.

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Art History Writing Guide

I. Introduction II. Writing Assignments III. Discipline-Specific Strategies IV. Keep in Mind V. Appendix

Introduction

At the heart of every art history paper is a close visual analysis of at least one work of art. In art history you are building an argument about something visual. Depending on the assignment, this analysis may be the basis for an assignment or incorporated into a paper as support to contextualize an argument. To guide students in how to write an art history paper, the Art History Department suggests that you begin with a visual observation that leads to the development of an interpretive thesis/argument. The writing uses visual observations as evidence to support an argument about the art that is being analyzed.

Writing Assignments

You will be expected to write several different kinds of art history papers. They include:

• Close Visual Analysis Essays
• Close Visual Analysis in dialogue with scholarly essays
• Research Papers

Close Visual Analysis pieces are the most commonly written papers in an introductory art history course. You will have to look at a work of art and analyze it in its entirety. The analysis and discussion should provide a clearly articulated interpretation of the object. Your argument for this paper should be backed up with careful description and analysis of the visual evidence that led you to your conclusion.

Close Visual Analysis in dialogue with scholarly essays combines formal analysis with close textual analysis.

Research papers range from theoretic studies to critical histories. Based on library research, students are asked to synthesize analyses of the scholarship in relation to the work upon which it is based.

Discipline-Specific Strategies

As with all writing assignment, a close visual analysis is a process. The work you do before you actually start writing can be just as important as what you consider when writing up your analysis.

Conducting the analysis :

• Ask questions as you are studying the artwork. Consider, for example, how does each element of the artwork contribute to the work's overall meaning. How do you know? How do elements relate to each other? What effect is produced by their juxtaposition
• Use the criteria provided by your professor to complete your analysis. This criteria may include forms, space, composition, line, color, light, texture, physical characteristics, and expressive content.

Writing the analysis:

• Develop a strong interpretive thesis about what you think is the overall effect or meaning of the image.
• Ground your argument in direct and specific references to the work of art itself.
• Describe the image in specific terms and with the criteria that you used for the analysis. For example, a stray diagonal from the upper left corner leads the eye to...
• Create an introduction that sets the stage for your paper by briefly describing the image you are analyzing and by stating your thesis.
• Explain how the elements work together to create an overall effect. Try not to just list the elements, but rather explain how they lead to or support your analysis.
• Contextualize the image within a historical and cultural framework only when required for an assignment. Some assignments actually prefer that you do not do this. Remember not to rely on secondary sources for formal analysis. The goal is to see what in the image led to your analysis; therefore, you will not need secondary sources in this analysis. Be certain to show how each detail supports your argument.
• Include only the elements needed to explain and support your analysis. You do not need to include everything you saw since this excess information may detract from your main argument.

Keep in Mind

• An art history paper has an argument that needs to be supported with elements from the image being analyzed.
• Avoid making grand claims. For example, saying "The artist wanted..." is different from "The warm palette evokes..." The first phrasing necessitates proof of the artist's intent, as opposed to the effect of the image.
• Make sure that your paper isn't just description. You should choose details that illustrate your central ideas and further the purpose of your paper.

If you find you are still having trouble writing your art history paper, please speak to your professor, and feel free to make an appointment at the Writing Center. For further reading, see Sylvan Barnet's A Short Guide to Writing about Art , 5th edition.

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Home > Dissertations, Theses & Capstones Projects by Program > Art History Dissertations

Art History Dissertations

Dissertations from 2024 2024.

A Municipal Modernity: Women, Architecture, and Public Health in Working-Class New York, 1913–1950 , Jessica Fletcher

Without Us There Is No Britain: Black British Photography and Film Networks, 1950-1989 , Maria T. Quinata

Dissertations from 2023 2023

The Gilded Tropics: Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent in Florida, 1886-1917 , Theodore W. Barrow

Flamboyant Abundance: Performing Queer Maximalism, 1960–1990 , Jack Owen Crawford

"A Decorator in the Best Sense": Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Lilly Reich, the Fabric Curtain Partition, and the Articulation of the German Modern Interior , Marianne E. Eggler-Gerozissis

From Allegory to Revolution: The Inca Empire in the Eighteenth-Century French Imagination , Agnieszka A. Ficek

“Delicious Libation”: The Art of the Coffee Trade from Brazil to the United States, 1797-1888 , Caroline L. Gillaspie

Fifteenth-Century Sienese Art in Its International Setting: A Case Study of Cross-Cultural Exchange in Italy and Beyond , Maria Lucca

Creative Figures: Portraiture and the Making of the Modern American Artist, 1918-1930 , Sasha Nicholas

Raphael Montañez Ortiz and Alternative Art Spaces, 1966–1971: From Repulsion to Exaltation , Ana Cristina Perry

Styling Sweatshops: Seamstress Imagery, Industrial Capitalism, and Nationalist Agendas in Nineteenth-Century Europe and the United States , Alice J. Walkiewicz

Dissertations from 2022 2022

Pop/Art: The Birth of Underground Music and the British Art School, 1960–1980 , Andrew Cappetta

After the Renaissance: Art and Harlem in the 1960s , Maya Harakawa

Cultural Predicaments: Neorealism in The Netherlands, 1927–1945 , Stephanie Huber

Hellenikotita — Greekness: Constructing Greek Genre Painting, Visualizing National Identity, 1850–1900 , Olga Zaferatos Karras

Contextualizing Britain’s Holocaust Memorial and Museums: Form, Content, and Politics , Rebecca D. Pollack

The Beehive, the Favela, the Castle, and the Ministry: Race and Modern Architecture in Rio de Janeiro, 1811–1945 , Luisa Valle

Globalism and Identity in Taiwanese Contemporary Art, 1978–2009 , Chu-Chiun Wei

Dissertations from 2021 2021

Europ: Expanded Cinema, Projection and the Film Co-op in Western Europe, 1966–1979 , Drew E. Bucilla

Inevitable Associations: Art, Institution, and Cultural Intersection in Los Angeles, 1973–1988 , Liz Hirsch

Xanthus Smith: Marine Painting and Nationhood , Eva C. McGraw

Art After Dark: Economies of Performance, New York City 1978–1988 , Meredith Mowder

The Integration of Art, Architecture, and Identity: Alfred Kastner, Louis Kahn, and Ben Shahn at Jersey Homesteads , Daniel S. Palmer

The Making of Transpacific Video Art, 1966–1988 , Haeyun Park

The U.S.–Mexican War: Visualizing Contested Spaces from Parlor to Battlefield , Erika Pazian

After Abstract Expressionism: Reconsidering the “Death of Painting” at Midcentury , Natasha Roje

The Painter and His Poets: Paul Gauguin and Interartistic Exchange , Aaron Slodounik

Compromised Values: Charlotte Posenenske, 1966–Present , Ian Wallace

Dissertations from 2020 2020

Traditions and Transformations in the Work of Adál: Surrealism, El sainete , and Spanglish , Margarita J. Aguilar

Norman Lewis: Linearity, Politics, and Pedagogy in His Abstract Expressionism, 1946–1964 , Andrianna T. Campbell-LaFleur

The Art of Opacity: Guy de Cointet in L.A. , Media Farzin

Northwest Coast Native Art Beyond Revival, 1962–1992 , Christopher T. Green

Staging the Modern, Building the Nation: Exhibiting Israeli Art, 1939–1965 , Chelsea Haines

Labor and the Picturesque: Photography, Propaganda, and the Tea Trade in Colonial India and Sri Lanka, 1880–1914 , Leila Anne Harris

The International Rise of Afro-Brazilian Modernism in the Age of African Decolonization and Black Power , Abigail Lapin Dardashti

Accomplices in Art: The Expansion of Authorship in the 1970s and '80s , Sydney Stutterheim

The “Olympiad of Photography”: FIAP and the Global Photo-Club Culture, 1950–1965 , Alise Tifentale

Dissertations from 2019 2019

A Series of Acts that Disappear: The Valparaíso School’s Ephemeral Architectures, 1952–1982 , Elizabeth Rose Donato

Added Interpretive Centers at U.S. War Memorials and the Reframing of National History , Jennifer K. Favorite

Stills of Passage: Photography and Migration in the US-Mexico Borderlands, 1978-1992 , Nadiah Rivera Fellah

Arts et Métiers PHOTO- Graphiques : The Quest for Identity in French Photography between the Two World Wars , Yusuke Isotani

Crossing the Atlantic: Italians in Argentina and the Making of a National Culture, 1880–1930 , Lauren A. Kaplan

The Evolution of the Centaur in Italian Renaissance Art: Monster, Healer, Mentor, and Constellation , Trinity Martinez

Weaving Modern Forms: Fiber Design in the United States, 1939–1959 , Sarah Mills

The "I" of the Artist-Curator , Natalie Musteata

Ray Johnson: Collage as Networked "Correspondance" , Gillian Pistell

Mechanical Kingdoms: Sound Technologies and the Avant-Garde, 1928–1933 , Lauren Rosati

Minor Forms, Dismantled Norms: Mediums of Modernism in Pakistan , Gemma Sharpe

Gendered Subjectivity and Resistance: Brazilian Women’s Performance-for-Camera, 1973–1982 , Gillian Sneed

Framing the City: Photography and the Construction of São Paulo, 1930–1955 , Danielle J. Stewart

Between the Cracks: From Squatting to Tactical Media Art in the Netherlands, 1979–1993 , Amanda S. Wasielewski

Dissertations from 2018 2018

Writing with Light: Cameraless Photography and Its Narrative in the 1920s , Karen K. Barber

Bloomsbury's Byzantium and the Writing of Modern Art , Elizabeth Sarah Berkowitz

The Labyrinth and the Cave: Archaic Forms in Art and Architecture of Europe, 1952–1972 , Paula Burleigh

The South Korean “Meta-Avant-Garde,” 1961–1993: Subterfuge as Radical Agency , Sooran Choi

Creating 1968: Art, Architecture, and the Afterlives of the Mexican Student Movement , Mya B. Dosch

Cellist, Catalyst, Collaborator: The Work of Charlotte Moorman , Saisha Grayson

Modern Arts and Pueblo Traditions in Santa Fe, 1909–1931 , Elizabeth S. Hawley

Women’s Suffrage in American Art: Recovering Forgotten Contexts, 1900-1920 , Elsie Y. Heung

Rising Above the Faithful: Monumental Ceiling Crosses in Byzantine Cappadocia , Alice Lynn McMichael

Visualizing Knowledge in the Illuminated Manuscripts of the Breviari d’amor , Joy Partridge

Lauretta Vinciarelli in Context: Transatlantic Dialogues in Architecture, Art, Pedagogy, and Theory, 1968-2007 , Rebecca Siefert

Prints on Display: Exhibitions of Etching and Engraving in England, 1770s-1858 , Nicole Simpson

Dissertations from 2017 2017

Open Works: Between the Programmed and the Free, Art in Italy 1962 to 1972 , Lindsay A. Caplan

I. M. Pei, William Zeckendorf, and the Architecture of Urban Renewal , Marci M. Clark

Posthumanist Animals in Art: France and Belgium, 1972-87 , Arnaud Gerspacher

On London Ground: The Landscape Paintings of Frank Auerbach and Leon Kossoff , Lee Hallman

Joseph Beuys and Social Sculpture in the United States , Cara M. Jordan

Claude III Audran: Ornemaniste of the Rococo Style , Barbara Laux

Exhibitions of Outsider Art Since 1947 , Christina McCollum

Mónica Mayer: Translocality and the Development of Feminist Art in Contemporary Mexico , Alberto McKelligan Hernandez

Merchandise, Promotion, and Accessibility: Keith Haring’s Pop Shop , Amy L. Raffel

Ludic Conceptualism: Art and Play in the Netherlands, 1959 to 1975 , Janna Therese Schoenberger

Communicationists and Un-Artists: Pedagogical Experiments in California, 1966-1974 , Hallie Rose Scott

Foreign-Born Artists Making “American” Pictures: The Immigrant Experience and the Art of the United States, 1819–1893 , Whitney Thompson

Left and Right: Politics and Images of Motherhood in Weimar Germany , Michelle L. Vangen

From Design to Completion: The Transformation of U.S. War Memorials on the National Mall , Sara Jane Weintraub

Dissertations from 2016 2016

Export / Import: The Promotion of Contemporary Italian Art in the United States, 1935–1969 , Raffaele Bedarida

The Emergence of the Bird in Andean Paracas Art. c. 900 BCE - 200 CE , Mary B. Brown

The Moving Image in Public Art: U.S. and U.K., 1980–Present , Annie Dell'Aria

Modernism with a Human Face: Synthesis of Art and Architecture in Eastern Europe, 1954-1958 , Nikolaos Drosos

Building in Public: Critical Reconstruction and the Rebuilding of Berlin after 1990 , Naraelle Hohensee

The Bauhaus Wall Painting Workshop: Mural Painting to Wallpapering, Art to Product , Morgan Ridler

Provisional Capital: National and Urban Identity in the Architecture and Planning of Bonn, 1949-1979 , Samuel L. Sadow

Developing Italy: Photography and National Identity during the Risorgimento, 1839-1859 , Beth Saunders

The Photographic Universe: Vilém Flusser’s Theories of Photography, Media, and Digital Culture , Martha Schwendener

Finish Fetish: Art, Artists, and Alter Egos in Los Angeles of the 1960s , Monica Steinberg

Nature and Nostalgia in the Art of Mary Nimmo Moran (1842-1899) , Shannon Vittoria

Dissertations from 2015 2015

A Merchant-Banker's Ascent by Design: Bartolomeo Bettini's Cycle of Paintings by Michelangelo, Pontormo, and Bronzino for His Florentine Camera , Richard Aste

On the Fringe of Italian Fascism: An Examination of the Relationship between Vinicio Paladini and the Soviet Avant-Garde , Christina Brungardt

Let The Record Show: Mapping Queer Art and Activism in New York City, 1986-1995 , Tara Jean-Kelly Burk

Maude I. Kerns: Overlapping Interpretations of Art and Pedagogy in the Northwest and Along the Pacific Coast, 1890–1932 , Mary Helen Burnham

Contemporary Art and Internationalism at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1952–1988 , Rachel Chatalbash

Los Grupos and the Art of Intervention in 1960s and 1970s Mexico , Arden Decker

The Hall of Fame for Great Americans: The Evolution of a Forgotten Memorial , Sheila Gerami

Mobilizing The Collective: Helhesten And The Danish Avant-Garde, 1934-1946 , Kerry Greaves

Death and Photography in East Asia: Funerary Use of Portrait Photography , Jeehey Kim

Native American Chic: The Marketing Of Native Americans In New York Between The World Wars , Emily Schuchardt Navratil

The Print Portfolio and the Bourgeoisie in Fin-de-Siècle Paris , Britany Lane Salsbury

A Light in the Darkness: Argentinian Photography During the Military Dictatorship (1976-1983) , Ana Tallone

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Department of Art and Art History

The MA thesis represents the final step in the fulfillment of your degree at Hunter. It should embody originality of thinking underscored by solid research based on primary and secondary sources. The thesis should demonstrate your ability to gather, evaluate, and present material in a critical and professional manner. It is intended to prepare you for further study on the doctoral level or as an end in itself to equip you with the skills necessary for a professional career in Art History.

Completed theses are approximately 50-75 pages in length and should exhibit a full scholarly textual apparatus: footnotes, bibliography, illustrations, and other relevant documentation.

For a comprehensive guide to the MA Thesis, please see MA Thesis Guidelines . 

The MA thesis is designed to be written over the course of two consecutive semesters and is formally divided into two classes: Thesis Research (ARTH 79900) and Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000). 

In Thesis Research the student will, in collaboration with their thesis advisor, define a topic, structure an argument, and begin researching and writing their thesis. In order to receive course credit, the student must submit an outline (including abstract and chapter summaries) and a draft of one chapter by the end of the semester.

Over the course of Thesis Writing , each student works individually with their primary advisor towards the completion of a polished, submission-ready thesis, which involves the deployment of primary and secondary research, the analysis of objects of visual and material culture, the crafting of convincing argumentation, and the editing of language at the sentence, paragraph, and thesis-level. The student will only receive credit for ARTH 80000 upon successful completion and submission of the thesis.

Each MA student is required to choose an advisor from the full-time Art History faculty to supervise their thesis project. The faculty member should be someone who is a specialist in your chosen area and, ideally, someone who you have already taken a class with during the course of your studies at Hunter. Students are advised to approach their intended advisor no later than the semester before enrolling in Thesis Research (ARTH 79900). While the faculty advisor can be of some assistance in refining an appropriate topic, you should already have several ideas in mind before opening the discussion. 

The faculty advisor formally acts as the first reader of your thesis, providing direction and initial criticism of your research. Students are expected to speak regularly with their advisor over the course of two semesters. Before enrolling in Thesis Writing (ARTH 80000) students are advised to select a second reader for their thesis. The second reader is not a mentor but an external assessor of your final work. They should be chosen in consultation with your first reader and approached in a timely manner. Once the thesis has been finalized by the primary advisor, it will be turned over to the second reader for review. The second reader can make helpful suggestions and corrections to produce a better thesis. 

Your thesis cannot be submitted without the signature of your first and second reader.

• October 30:  Submit completed thesis to the first reader (thesis advisor). 
• November 20:  Submit the thesis, approved by the first reader, to the second reader
• December 14:   Submit completed, edited thesis to the graduate advisor
• December 21:   Upload the thesis to CUNY Academic Works

Funding for travel and thesis research:

The dean of arts and science offers travel grants to support thesis research up to $500 each.

To apply, please visit the following website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/artsci/graduate-education/funding-opportunities-for-graduate-students . 

For further information please email Rob Cowan: [email protected] 

 Examples of recent MA Theses:

• Croft, Kyle, “Mobilizing Museums Against AIDS: Visual AIDS and Day Without Art, 1988–1989” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/578

• Shaikewitz, Joseph S., “Mexican Modernism’s Other: The Contemporáneos, Gender, and National Identity, 1920–1940” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/601

• Shevelkina, Maria M., “The Chôra of Dionisy’s Wall-Painting (1500-1502) at the Nativity of the Mother of God sobor, Ferapontovo Monastery” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/548

• Thackara, Tess, “Beyond Movements: Senga Nengudi’s Art Within and Without Feminism, Postminimalism, and the Black Arts Movement” (2020). CUNY Academic Works.

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/605

Important Links and Documents

• Guidelines for the Preparation of a Master’s Thesis In Art History
• MA Thesis Agreement Form
• Maintenance of Matriculation Form
• School of Arts and Sciences Guidelines
• Step by Step Guide for Students
• Step by Step Guide for Readers
• Art History 799 Thesis Research
• Art History 800 Thesis Writing

BYU ScholarsArchive

Home > Fine Arts and Communications > Visual Arts > Theses and Dissertations

Visual Arts Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2014 2014.

A Maoli-Based Art Education: Ku'u Mau Kuamo'o 'Ōlelo , Raquel Malia Andrus

Accumulation of Divine Service , Blaine Lee Atwood

Caroline Murat: Powerful Patron of Napoleonic France and Italy , Brittany Dahlin

.(In|Out)sider$ , Jarel M. Harwood

Mariko Mori's Sartorial Transcendence: Fashioned Identities, Denied Bodies, and Healing, 1993-2001 , Jacqueline Rose Hibner

Parallel and Allegory , Kody Keller

Fallen Womanhood and Modernity in Ivan Kramskoi's Unknown Woman (1883) , Trenton B. Olsen

Conscience and Context in Eastman Johnson's The Lord Is My Shepherd , Amanda Melanie Slater

The War That Does Not Leave Us: Memory of the American Civil War and the Photographs of Alexander Gardner , Katie Janae White

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Women and the Wiener Werkstätte: The Centrality of Women and the Applied Arts in Early Twentieth-Century Vienna , Caitlin J. Perkins Bahr

Cutting Into Relief , Matthew L. Bass

Mask, Mannequin, and the Modern Woman: Surrealism and the Fashion Photographs of George Hoyningen-Huene , Hillary Anne Carman

The End of All Learning , Maddison Carole Colvin

Civitas: A Game-Based Approach to AP Art History , Anna Davis

What Crawls Beneath , Brent L. Gneiting

Blame Me for Your Bad Grade: Autonomy in the Basic Digital Photography Classroom as a Means to Combat Poor Student Performance , Erin Collette Johnson

Evolving Art in Junior High , Randal Charles Marsh

All Animals Will Get Along in Heaven , Camila Nagata

It Will Always Be My Tree: An A/r/tographic Study of Place and Identity in an Elementary School Classroom , Molly Robertson Neves

Zofia Stryjeńska: Women in the Warsaw Town Square. Our Lady, Peasant Mother, Pagan Goddess , Katelyn McKenzie Sheffield

Using Contemporary Art to Guide Curriculum Design:A Contemporary Jewelry Workshop , Kathryn C. Smurthwaite

Documenting the Dissin's Guest House: Esther Bubley's Exploration of Jewish-American Identity, 1942-43 , Vriean Diether Taggart

Blooming Vines, Pregnant Mothers, Religious Jewelry: Gendered Rosary Devotion in Early Modern Europe , Rachel Anne Wise

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Rembrandt van Rijn's Jewish Bride : Depicting Female Power in the Dutch Republic Through the Notion of Nation Building , Nan T. Atwood

Portraits , Nicholas J. Bontorno

Where There Is Design , Elizabeth A. Crowe

George Dibble and the Struggle for Modern Art in Utah , Sarah Dibble

Mapping Creativity: An A/r/tographic Look at the Artistic Process of High School Students , Bart Andrus Francis

Joseph as Father in Guido Reni's St. Joseph Images , Alec Teresa Gardner

Student Autonomy: A Case Study of Intrinsic Motivation in the Art Classroom , Downi Griner

Aha'aina , Tali Alisa Hafoka

Fashionable Art , Lacey Kay

Effluvia and Aporia , Emily Ann Melander

Interactive Web Technology in the Art Classroom: Problems and Possibilities , Marie Lynne Aitken Oxborrow

Visual Storybooks: Connecting the Lives of Students to Core Knowledge , Keven Dell Proud

German Nationalism and the Allegorical Female in Karl Friedrich Schinkel's The Hall of Stars , Allison Slingting

The Influence of the Roman Atrium-House's Architecture and Use of Space in Engendering the Power and Independence of the Materfamilias , Anne Elizabeth Stott

The Narrative Inquiry Museum:An Exploration of the Relationship between Narrative and Art Museum Education , Angela Ames West

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

The Portable Art Gallery: Facilitating Student Autonomy and Ownership through Exhibiting Artwork , Jethro D. Gillespie

The Movement Of An Object Through A Field Creates A Complex Situation , Jared Scott Greenleaf

Alice Brill's Sao Paulo Photographs: A Cross-Cultural Reading , Danielle Jean Hurd

A Comparative Case Study: Investigation of a Certified Elementary Art Specialist Teaching Elementary Art vs. a Non-Art Certified Teacher Teaching Elementary Art , Jordan Jensen

A Core Knowledge Based Curriculum Designed to Help Seventh and Eighth Graders Maintain Artistic Confidence , Debbie Ann Labrum

Traces of Existence , Jayna Brown Quinn

Female Spectators in the July Monarchy and Henry Scheffer's Entrée de Jeanne d’Arc à Orléans , Kalisha Roberts

Without End , Amy M. Royer

Classroom Community: Questions of Apathy and Autonomy in a High School Jewelry Class , Samuel E. Steadman

Preparing Young Children to Respond to Art in the Museum , Nancy L. Stewart

DAY JAW BOO, a re-collection , Rachel VanWagoner

The Tornado Tree: Drawing on Stories and Storybooks , Toni A. Wood

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

IGolf: Contemporary Sculptures Exhibition 2009 , King Lun Kisslan Chan

24 Hour Portraits , Lee R. Cowan

Fabricating Womanhood , Emily Fox

Earth Forms , Janelle Marie Tullis Mock

Peregrinations , Sallie Clinton Poet

Leland F. Prince's Earth Divers , Leland Fred Prince

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Ascents and Descents: Personal Pilgrimage in Hieronymus Bosch's The Haywain , Alison Daines

Beyond the Walls: The Easter Processional on the Exterior Frescos of Moldavian Monastery Churches , Mollie Elizabeth McVey

Beauty, Ugliness, and Meaning: A Study of Difficult Beauty , Christine Anne Palmer

Lantern's Diary , Wei Zhong Tan

Text and Tapestry: "The Lady and the Unicorn," Christine de Pizan and the le Vistes , Shelley Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

A Call for Liberation: Aleijadinho's 'Prophets' as Capoeiristas , Monica Jayne Bowen

Secondhand Chinoiserie and the Confucian Revolutionary: Colonial America's Decorative Arts "After the Chinese Taste" , Kiersten Claire Davis

Dairy Culture: Industry, Nature and Liminality in the Eighteenth-Century English Ornamental Dairy , Ashlee Whitaker

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Navajo Baskets and the American Indian Voice: Searching for the Contemporary Native American in the Trading Post, the Natural History Museum, and the Fine Art Museum , Laura Paulsen Howe

And there were green tiles on the ceiling , Jean Catherine Richardson

Four Greco-Roman Era Temples of Near Eastern Fertility Goddesses: An Analysis of Architectural Tradition , K. Michelle Wimber

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The Portrait of Citizen Jean-Baptiste Belley, Ex-Representative of the Colonies by Anne-Louis Girodet Trioson: Hybridity, History Painting, and the Grand Tour , Megan Marie Collins

Fix , Kathryn Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Ideals and Realities , Pamela Bowman

Accountability for the Implementation of Secondary Visual Arts Standards in Utah and Queensland , John K. Derby

The Artistic and Architectural Patronage of Countess Urraca of Santa María de Cañas: A Powerful Aristocrat, Abbess, and Advocate , Julia Alice Jardine McMullin

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198 Art History Thesis Topics: Best Ideas

Did you know that on this page, you can find 198 original art history thesis topics that you can’t find anywhere else? Our art experts and professional writers have created this list over the last couple of months. In fact, we are updating the list periodically to make sure each student who visits our blog has the chance to find a unique topic that he or she can write a thesis on.

In addition to the exceptional topics, we also have some tips and tricks on how to write the perfect thesis without spending months working on it. This blog post includes the chapters you need to write (with a short explanation of each one), as well as some of the things you need to keep in mind when writing a thesis. Let’s get started!

Writing the Best Art History Thesis Paper

As you probably know already, finding some original art history thesis topics is just one part of the thesis writing process. Because we know most students don’t have any experience writing theses, we will briefly talk about some of the key characteristics of a good thesis paper. We will start with the structure. Here are the main chapters you should have in your paper:

Introduction:  This is the part where you will present your thesis statement, as well as discuss the significance of your thesis and present the research questions, limitations and assumptions. Review of Related Literature:  Use this chapter to discuss what you have learned from other works in your field that pertain to your chosen topic. Show your readers why your research is relevant to the topic. Design and Methodology:  In this chapter, you will need to present the design and discuss the methods you have used to gather the data or the evidence to support your thesis statement. A reader should be able to replicate your study after reading this chapter. Findings:  This is the part where you can discuss your findings and show your readers why and how they support your thesis. You can include a part where you make recommendations for further research, if necessary. Conclusion:  The final chapter of your paper, the Conclusion is the place where you summarize everything and reemphasize the main points of your paper. Refrain from introducing any new information here.

Apart from structuring your thesis correctly, you should keep a few other important things in mind. Here are some of the things that will help you get a better grade on your research paper, according to our expert academic writers:

Make sure you only gather data from reliable sources. Also, remember to cite and reference each source you use. Format your thesis correctly, in accordance with the guidelines in the style book. Each style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, etc.) has a style book that you can usually find online for free. Edit your work thoroughly and make sure your logic and clarity are perfect. Also make sure you are not using technical terms that you have not defined previously. Think about what examiners want to see or try to learn what they are looking for. After all, you want a top grade, don’t you? Do your best to come up with a unique, interesting thesis. Think long and hard about how you will write the thesis statement. Get feedback from your supervisor as early as possible. This can prevent some serious delays and rewrites. Find some original art history thesis topics and choose the one you think would thrill the evaluation committee.

Fortunately for you, the last tip is something we can help you with right now. We have 198 original art history thesis topics right here on this page. You can use any of them for free. No, you don’t even need to give us any credit. That is our thesis writing help to begin with going through these topics shouldn’t take you more than 5 minutes, so what are you waiting for?

Easy Thesis Topics in Art History

We’ll start our list with some easy thesis topics in art history. Choose any of these ideas if you want to spend as little time as possible writing your paper:

• Discuss the Gothic stained glass
• Compare ancient Egyptian and Roman art
• The important of Mona Lisa
• An in-depth look at the Romanesque style
• An in-depth look at Amarna Art
• Discuss art in the Golden Age
• Analyze the life of Claude Monet
• What is reformed naturalism?
• Peculiarities of the surrealist movement
• Discuss art in the Notre Dame
• Talk about sculptures in a cathedral of your choice
• Research the life of Picasso
• Talk about political views in sculpture
• The peculiarities of Gothic art
• How important are recurring subjects in art?

Art History Research Questions

The best way to come up with a great topic is to go through some art history research questions. To help you out, we have compiled a list of the best ones below:

• What is photogravure and why is it important?
• What are the peculiarities of Scandinavian weaving?
• What are some characteristics of Egyptian art?
• How important is art as part of the curriculum?
• What is the role of life in modern art?
• Which artist had the biggest influence on contemporary art?
• What makes Gothic paintings special?
• Can you talk about the Dadaist movement?
• What is real art?
• Can you talk about the history is symbols in Gothic paintings?
• How did art evolve in Ancient Rome?
• Why is Leonardo Da Vinci so popular?
• How important is nature in ancient art?
• When did Cubism first appear?
• How were ancient works of art preserved?

Art in the 19th Century Topics

In case you want to write a thesis on 19th century art, you have arrived at the right place. Here are some of the best art in the 19th century topics:

• Discuss European painting in the 19th century
• Modernism in the 19th century
• The history of surrealism
• Talk about the focus of 19th century art
• The history of cubism
• The history of symbolism
• Research the Industrial Revolution in art
• Compare symbolism and cubism
• Talk about the Enlightenment movement
• What influenced modern art in the 19th century?

Art History Thesis Topics on the Late Gothic Period

Our experienced writers managed to create a list of art history thesis topics on the late gothic period that you will absolutely love:

• Discuss the vaulted hall churches in Germany
• Major themes in late Gothic sculptures
• Differences between Renaissance and late Gothic art
• Talk about the British Perpendicular style
• Discuss the Flamboyant style
• Compare and contrast the Flamboyant and Perpendicular styles
• Major themes in late Gothic paintings
• The main symbols of Gothic art
• Research the late gothic era in France
• What is the tracery window?

Art History Senior Thesis Topics

Are you working on a senior thesis in art history and need some inspiration? All you have to do is pick one of our art history senior thesis topics for free and start writing:

• Talk about manuscripts in Modernist paintings
• A closer look at the Romanesque style
• The role of life in art
• The history of photography as an art
• An in-depth look at Neoclassicist sculptures
• Art on the Great Wall in China
• Discuss the importance of recurring subjects in art
• The role of nature in art
• An in-depth look at Christian symbols in art
• The first musical instruments

Undergraduate Art History Thesis Topics

Of course, our list of topics would not be complete without some ideas for undergrads. Here are the undergraduate art history thesis topics we think will perform best in 2023:

• Research the Statue of Zeus
• Famous impressionists
• Talk about stained glass windows
• Talk about 3 important Greek sculptures
• Discuss the film industry in Bollywood
• Research the history of pop art
• Primitivism: is it an art?
• Research the history of Venetian carnival masks
• Differences between modernism and cubism
• Discuss the Rococo movement

Art History Photography Thesis Topics

Interested in writing about photography? After all, it is art. Don’t worry about it; we’ve got your back. Here are some original art history photography thesis topics:

• Discuss the history of photography
• Are photographs works of art?
• Famous artworks that are photographs
• Latest advancements in photographic technology
• An in-depth look at lighting and its uses
• Research 3 artists that have made an art out of photography
• An in-depth look at the purpose of photography
• Research the first photo camera
• Famous photographs in art museums in your area
• The life and work of Ansel Adams
• The role of Jonas Leriche in photography
• Discuss the role of the background in photography
• How important is the camera for a photographer?
• What makes a good photographer?

Popular Art History Thesis Topics

If you’re looking for the most popular art history thesis topics, we have some great news for you. We have an entire list of them right here:

• Discuss the Art Nouveau style
• What makes Pablo Picasso’s paintings remarkable?
• An in-depth look at photorealism
• Discuss funerary art in ancient Egypt
• Research the history of Chinese art
• Discuss the role of the abstract in modern paintings
• Composite styles in ancient Rome paintings
• Discuss the rise of modern art in Europe
• An in-depth look at Biblical motifs in Leonardo Da Vinci’s art
• The first art fair in the world
• Discuss the La Tene Celtic art style
• Discuss art in the Feudal Era
• An in-depth look at the history of Japanese art
• Research Mayan paintings

Art History Thesis Topics Greek

Are you interested in talking about Greek art? Do you want some of the best topics for free? You’re in luck because we have some interesting art history thesis topics greek for you right here:

• Analyze the Kore statue in Greece
• Talk about the Mask of Agamemnon
• Research ancient Greek pottery
• Research the Hades abducting Persephone painting
• Discuss the Coloso de Rodas
• Roman sculptures in ancient Greece
• The history of ancient Greek art
• Research ancient Greek architecture
• Discuss the Geometric period
• Research metalwork art in Greece

Art History Thesis Topics Impressionism

Writing your thesis on a topic related to impressionism will surely impress the evaluation committee and your supervisor. Check out these art history thesis topics impressionism ideas:

• Discuss the Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet
• Research the styles in The Fighting Temeraire
• The depiction of light in impressionism
• Research Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette
• Discuss the embracement of modernity
• The history of the Impressionist movement
• The main ideas of impressionism
• Talk about the style of open composition
• Discuss unusual visual angles
• Talk about the first impressionist exhibition

Art History Research Topics

Your research paper will be memorable if you choose the right topic for it, guaranteed. Take a look at this brand new list of art history research topics and select the one you like the most:

• Talk about women in art
• The history of modernism
• Architecture as a form of art
• The role of the Trojan Horse
• Talk about art as a form of therapy
• The importance of Francisco de Goya’s paintings
• Dreams in works by Dali
• Discuss the rise of pop art
• Art and autism
• Discuss the Art Deco style

Famous Artists and Their Works

It has been demonstrated that finding new and interesting facts about famous artists can get students some bonus points. Here are some ideas related to famous artists and their works:

• The life and works of Leonardo Da Vinci
• The life and works of Pablo Picasso
• Discuss the most important Warhol sculpture
• Dorothea Lange’s contributions to photograph
• Discuss the works of Zeuxis
• The life and works of Michelangelo
• The life and works of Constantin Brancusi
• The life and works of Vincent Van Gogh
• The importance of Marie Tussaud
• An in-depth look at the history of the Mona Lisa
• The life and works of Alberto Giacometti
• Analyze the works of Apelles (370 BC)
• The life and works of Henry Moore
• The life and works of Rembrandt
• The life and photographs of Ansel Adams

Ancient Art History Research Paper Topics

Our experienced academic writers managed to come up with a nice list of ancient art history research paper topics for students looking to start working on their thesis:

• Talk about ancient art in Palestine
• Research primitive art
• Talk about ancient art in China
• Talk about ancient art in Greece
• Characteristics of ancient art
• Talk about ancient art in Rome
• The first work of art in the world
• Talk about ancient art in India
• Talk about ancient art in Mesopotamia
• Characteristics of Persian art

Compare and Contrast Topics in Art History

If you want to write a compare and contrast paper, you are in luck. We have just added these interesting compare and contrast topics:

• Echion and Polygnotus
• Salvador Dali and Michelangelo
• Modern and contemporary art
• Vincent Van Gogh and Raphael
• Compare and contrast two sculptures of your choice
• Impressionism and cubism
• Claude Monet and Leornardo da Vinci
• Compare and contrast two paintings of your choice
• Protogenes and Apollodorus
• Henri Matisse and Frida Kahlo
• Surrealism and modern art
• Rembrandt and Johannes Vermeer
• Compare and contrast two art styles of your choice
• Abstract expressionism and cubism
• Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Controversial Art History Topics

Art history has, like many other fields, plenty of controversies. Why not write your research paper on one of them? Here are some interesting yet controversial art history topics:

• Research the Le Dejeuner sur l’Herbe by Édouard Manet
• An in-depth look at Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain
• Discuss the Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
• What makes an art piece controversial?
• Controversies surrounding Pablo Picasso’s Guernica mural
• Controversies in pop art
• Is graffiti an art?

Contemporary Art History Topics

Do you want to write your thesis on a topic in contemporary art? No problem, we’ve got you covered. Check out these awesome contemporary art history topics and choose one for free:

• The life and work of Takashi Murakami
• The importance of Jenny Saville’s work
• Major themes in contemporary paintings
• Talk about contemporary art motifs on jewelry
• The top 3 greatest contemporary artists
• Talk about contemporary music
• Talk about what makes contemporary art unique
• Contemporary art on ceramics

Renaissance and the Middle Ages topics

Stop wasting your time searching for topics and select one of these brand new (100% original) Renaissance and the Middle Ages topics:

• The life and work of Donatello
• Peculiarities of Sandro Botticelli’s paintings
• The history of the La Pieta
• Research the sculptures of Michelangelo
• The painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling
• An in-depth look at The Last Judgment painting
• Styles in Caravaggio’s paintings
• The life and works of Matteo Civitali
• Research the Mona Lisa painting
• The importance of Titian’s painting styles
• Research the history of The Birth of Venus
• The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
• Discuss a painting by Masaccio
• Discuss the David of Michelangelo sculpture
• Research the history of Lorenzo Ghiberti’s sculptures

Get Quality Thesis Writing Help

We know that most students are struggling with their first thesis. Don’t worry, you are certainly not the only one in this position. Truth be told, writing a thesis the right way can be extremely difficult for anyone who has not done it before. This is why, in addition to the exceptional thesis topics art history students are looking for, we are offering top quality custom dissertation help to students who want to get a top grade on their paper.

Get access to an expert online in a matter of minutes. All you have to do is tell us what you need and when you need it. We’ll pair you with one of our professional thesis writers in no time. Are you worried about the quality of our work? We know that the Internet can be a dangerous place, but you can certainly trust us and out experts. Just take a look at the feedback we have received from students like you over the years and decide if you need our services. Our art history thesis writers are ready to start working on your project right now.

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — Thesis Topics in History: The List of 100 Perfect Ideas

Thesis Topics in History: The List of 100 Perfect Ideas

When choosing a thesis topic in history, several essential factors come into play. Firstly, consider your passion and interest in the subject matter. Opt for a topic that genuinely intrigues you, as this will motivate and drive your research efforts. Secondly, strive for originality and significance. Look for gaps in the existing historical literature and propose a fresh perspective or a novel approach to a well-studied topic. Your goal should be to contribute new insights and knowledge to the field. If your ideas are recognized, then perhaps in the future some history thesis examples will be written based on them.

Feasibility is crucial in selecting a thesis topic. Ensure that you have access to the necessary primary and secondary sources, archives, or data required to support your research. Additionally, consider the relevance of your chosen topic to current historical debates or contemporary issues. Demonstrating the significance of your research in the broader context adds depth and impact to your work.

Ultimately, the result you should strive for is a well-crafted thesis topic that not only showcases your academic prowess but also excites and captivates your readers or academic committee. Your chosen topic should be engaging, thought-provoking, and capable of advancing the collective understanding of historical events or phenomena. By meticulously selecting a compelling thesis topic and conducting thorough research, you can embark on a rewarding journey of scholarly exploration and contribute meaningfully to the ever-evolving field of history.

✨ Top-20 History Thesis Ideas

• The Role of Media in Shaping Public Perception during the Cold War
• The Great Depression: Economic and Social Impacts on American Society
• The Age of Exploration: Cultural Exchanges and Global Interactions
• Women's Suffrage Movement: Analyzing Strategies and Achievements
• The French Revolution: Causes, Consequences, and Historical Interpretations
• The African-American Civil Rights Movement Essay : Leaders, Strategies, and Legacies
• The Rise and Fall of Ancient Empires: Lessons from Mesopotamia and Egypt
• World War II: Examining the Global Impact and Lessons Learned
• The Scientific Revolution: Advancements in Science and their Societal Impact
• Slavery and Abolition: A Comparative Study of Different Regions
• The Cultural Exchange along the Silk Road: Connecting East and West
• The Age of Imperialism: Colonialism, Resistance, and Global Consequences
• The Renaissance and Its Influence on Art, Literature, and Politics
• The Native American Experience: Examining Histories and Perspectives
• The Impact of the Protestant Reformation on European Society and Religion
• The Construction and Fall of the Berlin Wall: Symbolism and Global Implications
• The Spanish Inquisition: Religious Orthodoxy and Power Dynamics
• The Industrial Revolution: Changes in Work, Society, and the Environment
• The Mongol Empire: Conquest, Governance, and Cultural Integration
• The Crusades: Motivations, Outcomes, and Effects on Christian-Muslim Relations

✍️ History Thesis Topics for Bachelor's Degree: Tips and Tricks

Writing a diploma thesis in history is a significant milestone for university graduates. It allows students to showcase their research skills, critical thinking, and expertise in the subject. Crafting a compelling and well-structured thesis requires careful planning and adherence to specific guidelines. Here are some recommendations and criteria to consider when undertaking a history dissertation:

• Topic Selection: Choose a topic that genuinely interests you and aligns with your academic passions. A well-chosen topic will keep you motivated throughout the research process.
• Originality: Strive for originality in your research. Identify gaps in existing historical literature and propose a unique perspective or fresh analysis.
• Research Depth: Conduct thorough research using a variety of primary and secondary sources. Academic journals, historical documents, and reputable books are essential resources.
• Structure and Format: Follow the prescribed structure and format provided by your university or department. Adhere to proper citation and referencing guidelines.
• Word Count: Depending on your university's requirements, diploma theses in history typically range from 60 to 100 pages. However, check the specific word count guidelines for your institution.
• Abstract: Include a clear and concise abstract that summarizes the key objectives, research methods, and findings of your thesis.
• Introduction: Introduce your topic, provide background information, and state your research question or thesis statement.
• Literature Review: Review relevant literature to demonstrate your understanding of existing research on the topic.
• Methodology: Explain the research methods and approaches you used to collect and analyze data.
• Analysis and Findings: Present your research findings and analyze them in the context of your research question.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main arguments, discuss the implications of your findings, and suggest avenues for future research.
• References: Provide a comprehensive list of all the sources you cited in your thesis.

When starting your dissertation, begin with extensive reading and research to gain a solid understanding of the topic. Take notes and organize your sources efficiently. Create a detailed outline that will serve as a roadmap for your writing process. Seek guidance from your advisor or professors throughout your research journey, as their insights and feedback will be invaluable.

As you write, maintain a clear and coherent writing style, and avoid excessive jargon. Use headings and subheadings to structure your thesis logically. Remember to proofread and edit your work carefully to ensure accuracy and clarity.

In conclusion, writing a diploma thesis in history requires dedication, critical thinking, and meticulous research. By following these recommendations and adhering to the given criteria, you can create a compelling and well-argued thesis that contributes meaningfully to the field of history. Embrace this opportunity to delve into the past, unearth new insights, and leave a lasting academic legacy as you embark on this exciting academic journey.

If you still have not found suitable historical theses, then we continued the list with examples, one of which is right for you

🌆American History Thesis Topics

• The American Revolution : Causes, Consequences, and Legacies
• 1950s Body Image History
• The 1950s vs Modern Era
• 1960s Entertainment
• Abigail Adams Letter Rhetorical Analysis
• Abigail Williams in The Crucible
• American Imperialism: Factors, Impact, and Legacy
• The American and French Revolutions: Causes, Key Events, and Outcomes
• A Comparative Analysis of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine
• About The Underground Railroad
• Colin Kaepernick Argument: a Controversial Figure in American Sports
• Mitch Landrieu Speech Analysis
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in the Civil Rights Movement
• Causes of the Civil War
• Harlem: A Community Profile Examination
• Harriet Hollywood Film
• Manifest Destiny: Expansion, Impact, and Legacy
• A Day Of Infamy: Speech Analysis
• The Lasting Impact of Slavery
• How the Columbian Exchange Benefited Europe and North America

🗺️ Ideas for Thesis Topics in European History

• The Life of Adolf Hitler: Understanding the Emergence of a Monster
• Biography of Adolf Hitler
• Factors Contributing to the Fall of the Roman Empire
• Alexander The Great: a Rhetorical Analysis
• Christopher Columbus: Legacy and Impact
• Julius Caesar: Funeral Speech Analysis
• The Industrial Revolution in Europe: Technological Advancements and Social Changes
• The Cold War in Europe: Superpower Rivalries and the Division of the Continent
• The Age of Exploration: European Voyages and Global Encounters
• The Profound Impact of the Black Death
• The Russian Revolution : Revolution and the Formation of the Soviet Union
• The Crusades: Religious Wars and Their Influence on Europe and the Middle East
• The Treaty of Versailles: Evaluating Its Role in Shaping Post-World War I Europe
• The Spanish Inquisition: Investigating Religious Persecution and Its Consequences
• The Age of Imperialism: European Colonization and Its Global Consequences
• The Holocaust : Examining the Holocaust and the Dark Chapters of European History
• The Berlin Wall: The Divided City and Its Symbolism during the Cold War
• The Byzantine Empire: A Comprehensive Study of Its Contributions and Decline
• The Napoleonic Era: Napoleon Bonaparte's Impact on European Politics and Warfare
• The Reformation and Counter-Reformation: Religious Conflicts and Their Resolutions in Europe

🎭 Ideas for Art History Thesis Topics

• The Renaissance Masters : Analyzing the Artistic Achievements of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael
• Impressionism and Its Influence on Modern Art
• The Evolution of Abstract Art: From Kandinsky to Pollock
• Women in Art: Celebrating Female Artists and Their Impact on Art History
• A Great And Mighty Walk Analysis
• Compare Reverend Hale and John Proctor
• Mark Antony's Speech: A Masterclass in Rhetoric
• Iconography and Symbolism in Religious Art
• African Art and Cultural Identity
• Surrealism: Exploring Dreams and the Subconscious in Art
• The Art of Ancient Civilizations: Uncovering the Aesthetics of Egypt, Greece, and Rome
• The Birth of Modern Photography: Pioneering Photographers and Their Contributions to Art
• Investigating the Relationship between Artistic Expression and Sociopolitical Movements
• Postmodernism in Art: Deconstructing Boundaries and Challenging Tradition
• The Harlem Renaissance: African-American Art and Culture in the 1920s
• Pop Art: Examining the Pop Culture Movement and Its Influence on Contemporary Art
• Islamic Art and Architecture: Tracing Aesthetics across Different Eras and Regions
• Asian Art and Cultural Heritage: A Comparative Study of China, Japan, and India
• Exploring the Intersection of Digital Media and Creative Expression
• The Role of Museums in Shaping Art History

📒 History Thesis Topics for Master’s Degree

Choosing an appropriate history dissertation topic for your master's degree is a key step. It is important to choose a subject that matches academic interests and hobbies. The theme should also offer room for originality and contribution to the existing body of historical knowledge. A master's thesis in history is a comprehensive academic work, often 80 to 100 pages or more. This requires careful research, analysis of primary and secondary sources, and critical evaluation of historical arguments. In addition, the dissertation must comply with the guidelines and formatting requirements set by the academic institution. Seeking advice from faculty advisors and professors is invaluable in the dissertation writing process. Their experience and feedback can determine the direction of the research and ensure its scientific rigor. Here are some examples of possible History Thesis Topics for Master's Degree that can serve as a basis for you:

• Abigail Williams: A Villain Analysis
• Early Colonial Government Policies Still in Use Today
• A Kingdom Strange: Analysis
• History of Egypt
• Compare and Contrast Inca and Aztecs
• Positive Effects of Colonialism in Africa
• Benefits of Colonialism to Europeans and the Colonies
• Japan’s Rise and Fall in the Global Electronics Market
• Information On The Holocaust
• An Analysis of the Leadership Style of Mahatma Gandhi
• Comparison and Contrast of Egypt and Mayans
• Oppression: Contemporary Manifestations, and Resistance
• Analyzing Cultural Exchange along the Ancient Silk Road
• Medieval Queens: Agents of Power and Diplomacy
• Ottoman Empire: Socio-Political Changes and Legacy
• The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Africa's Role and Impact on the America
• The Fall of Ancient Civilizations: Lessons from Rome and Greece
• Reevaluating the Causes and Impacts of the American Revolution
• Propaganda in World War II: Shaping Public Perception
• The Impact of the Russian Revolution: Political Ideologies and Social Shifts

In conclusion, theses and dissertations serve different purposes and have different requirements depending on the academic level. Each represents a milestone in the student's academic journey, and mastering the arts of research, analysis, and critical thinking is essential to success at every level. Whether you are writing a short abstract or a comprehensive dissertation, the pursuit of knowledge and scientific contributions remains at the center of all academic research. And of course, to prepare a quality thesis, you will have to start choosing your topic among the many history thesis examples. We hope that we have helped you with finding an idea to start. And in the following articles we will try to develop this topic so that you can write an interesting and individual thesis.

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