The Formal Analysis

1. THE FORMAL
ANALYSIS
GUIDE TO BEING VISUALLY LITERATE

2. VISUALLY
LITERATE
• The first step to becoming Visually Literate is the
Formal Analysis. The Formal Analysis is the first step
in addressing art. The goal of a formal analysis is to
explain how the formal elements of a work of art
affect the representation of the subject matter and
expressive content.
• The emphasis should be on analyzing the formal
elements—not interpreting the artwork. That said, an
understanding of the meaning of the work is the final
goal of any formal analysis. The HARDEST part of
addressing art is actually seeing the work. Our brain
will tell our eyes what to see.
• For example, when looking at Rene Magritte's La
Trahison des images, what is color of pipe? Is it a
pipe? Or is it a good representation of a pipe? All of
these questions may seem trivial, but are really
important when approaching the art.

3. CASPAR DAVID FRIEDRICH
WANDERER ABOVE THE SEA OF
FOG
1818
• The first step in addressing art is determining if it is Representational or
Nonrepresentational
• The key word here in both of these terms is "representational". Think of these terms not as
representing a "meaning" behind the image, but at re-"presenting" an object. Can you
determine WHAT the image is? When addressing Friedrich's work, the image is
Representational: any work of art that seeks to resemble the world of natural appearance
• Friedrich's work is representational because you can literally go out into the world and see
this setting.

4. VINCENT VAN GOGH
THE STARRY NIGHT
1889
• To hopefully not confuse anyone -
Abstract Art.
• Abstract art: In art, the rendering of
images and objects in a stylized or
simplified way, so that though they
remain recognizable, their formal or
expressive aspects are emphasized.
• Abstract art is STILL CONSIDERED
REPRESENTATIONAL because you can
go out and see a "starry night";
however, Van Gogh created the work in
a stylized way. This means that he
exaggerated the sky away from its
original presentation.

5. MARK ROTHKO
WHITE CENTER (YELLOW, PINK AND LAVENDER ON
ROSE)
1950
• When addressing Rothko's work, the image is
Nonrepresentational: art that makes no reference to
the natural world and that explores the inherent
expressive or aesthetic potential of the formal
elements—line, shape, color.
• The formal compositional principles of a given
medium Rothko's work is nonrepresentational
because you can literally go out into the world and
see this setting.
• The work does not re-"present" anything but color
and shape.

6. EDWARD HOPPER
AUTOMAT
1927
• After you have determined if the
work of art is representational, you
must identify the subject matter.
• Subject Matter: What the image
literally depicts. The subject matter
of Hopper's work is a woman
sitting at table in room by a
window.
• That's it! It can be that simple-
You just have to tell your
viewer/reader what you see.

7. JUTTA HAECKEL
ADDITIVE
2013
• Remind yourself what Nonrepresentational Art
means- art that makes no reference to the natural
world. If a work does not make reference to the
natural world, then how can you determine what the
subject matter is?
• With Nonrepresentational work you can't identify
any objects in the painting. So, you will need to
address the Composition and Form.
• Composition: the organization of the formal
elements in a work of art
• Form: the literal shape and mass of an object or
figure
• In the case of Haeckel's work the Composition
and Form would be: Composition: browns and warm,
dull colors. Curved, thick lines. Form: Rectangle. Linen
• NOTE- The composition and form example given
here is very simplified

8. SALVADOR DALI
THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY
1932
• Now comes the fun part- you have spent all this time looking at the piece. You were
answering questions like, "What do I see?", "What color is it?", "What types of lines do I see?".
All of the these questions allow us to get to know the piece.
• These questions allow us to start that relationship with the piece. After we have full
exhausted the first step (and this step can take awhile), we jump into finding the content, or
meaning, behind the piece. Think of it this way: Art Appreciation focuses more on the subject
matter. Art History focuses more on the content.
• So, what is the content of Dali's The Persistence of Memory? Salvador Dalí frequently
described his paintings as “hand painted dream photographs.” He based this seaside landscape
on the cliffs in his home region of Catalonia, Spain. The ants and melting clocks are
recognizable images that Dalí placed in an unfamiliar context or rendered in an unfamiliar way.
The large central creature comprised of a deformed nose and eye was drawn from Dalí’s
imagination, although it has frequently been interpreted as a self-portrait. Its long eyelashes
seem insect-like; what may or may not be a tongue oozes from its nose like a fat snail from its
shell.
• Time is the theme here, from the melting watches to the decay implied by the swarming
ants. Mastering what he called “the usual paralyzing tricks of eye-fooling,” Dalí painted this
work with “the most imperialist fury of precision,” but only, he said, “to systematize confusion
and thus to help discredit completely the world of reality.” There is, however, a nod to the real:
the distant golden cliffs are those on the coast of Catalonia, Dalí’s home.
source for The Persistence of Memory meaning: moma.org

9. OKAY! LET'S REVIEW. THE
FORMAL ANALYSIS:
• 1. Is it Representational or Nonrepresentational?
• 2a. If it is Representational, what is the Subject
Matter?
• 2b. If it is Nonrepresentational, what is the
Composition and Form?
• 3. What is the Content?
• You will get practice to talk/write about the Formal
Analysis. This is first step to learning the art language.
If are feeling confused or lost, it is completely okay!
Just keep going, I promise it will all make sense.