NCEA Level 3 - AS90493 (3.4) Exemplars Examine a theory and its role in art 2010

Grade: High Excellence This is a clear Excellence.Although the word ‘theory’ has not been used, the discussion on the first page clearly outlines a large number of the key theoretical principles of humanism.The relationships between the theoretical principles of humanism and two appropriate art works are explained in pages two and three. This evidence is clearly sufficient to meet the national requirements for Merit.Evaluation can be identified in the comparative discussion throughout the response. The evaluative discussion strengthens in the last two pages, leading into a final paragraph which contains a convincing conclusion about the significance of humanism in renaissance art. Selected Art Works: Masaccio, The Tribute Money, http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/images/Firenze/Brancacci_C hapel/800/Masaccio-Tribute-Money-Brancacci-BR850.jpg Giotto, TheLamentationhttp://ftp.aa.edu/lydon/Art07/ArtProject/paige_giotto/giotto.jpg Uccello, St George and the Dragonhttp://18kt.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/17632-stgeorge-and-the-dragon-paolo-uccello.jpg Uccello, The Battle of San Romanohttp://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/4battle/1battle.jpg Leonardo da Vinci, Mona Lisa http://ximo.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/monalisa.jpg

Grade: Low Excellence This is a low Excellence.Although the response begins by introducing mathematical perspective as a concept, in the first two pages the student has described the development and technique of Albertian perspective. This account however does not provide a clear outline of a theory related to art.On page 3 the introduction of theoretical background to the development of perspective, such as the Franciscan movement, raises the level of this response to Achievement. Sufficient evidence to meet the requirements of Merit can then be found in the subsequent explanations of the relationships between perspective, humanism and Franciscan thought in the works of Giotto and Masaccio.The final section of this response contains a perceptive discussion of Renaissance theory which provides additional evidence of the outline of a theory related to art. This section also evaluates the significance of this theory sufficiently to meet the level required for Excellence in this standard. Selected Art Works: Giotto, The Lamentation http://ftp.aa.edu/lydon/Art07/ArtProject/paige_giotto/giotto.jpg Raphael,TheSchoolofAthens http://academic.shu.edu/honors/Raphael_School_of_Athens.jpg Masaccio, The Trinity http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Masaccio,_trinità.jpg

Grade: High Merit This is a sound Merit. The theory has been outlined sufficiently on the first page of the response. The bulletpointed comments which precede the image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper demonstrate how the theory is evident in this work sufficiently to meet the requirements of Achievement. The last bullet-point begins to explain the relationship between istoria and the selected work at Merit level. This is followed by an annotated image of Leonardo’s Virgin and St Anne. The explanations in each of the right hand boxes on this page provides further evidence of Merit level explanation. Further explanations in the annotated image of The Last Supper confirm that this response has met the requirements of Merit in this standard. In the last two pages of this response the student has attempted to evaluate the significance of istoria in Renaissance art. The discussion is wide ranging and introduces further information about the theory of istoria and its role in Quattrocento art. It uses Alberti’s own words to explain aspects of the theory and further explanation of the relationships between istoria and a third art work, Leonardo’s Annunciation. This is a thorough explanation which uses evidence in the art work to support the ideas expressed. This discussion is clearly at a high Merit level. The response does not meet the requirements for Excellence because, although the discussion provides additional information about Alberti’s istoria, it does not evaluate the significance of the theory for the art of Leonardo or for Italian Renaissance art. Selected Art Works: Leonardo da Vinci,The Last Supper http://www.lib-art.com/imgpainting/1/4/12741-the-last-supper-leonardo-da-vinci.jpg Virgin and St Anne http://www.dl.ket.org/webmuseum/wm/paint/auth/vinci/sketch/st-anne.jpg The Annunciation http://www.christusrex.org/www2/art/images/leonardo01a.jpg

Grade: Low Merit This is a difficult example because the response does not use the word “theory” which is the focus of this standard. This response is about Albertian perspective, a technical method developed as part of Alberti’s wider theories of naturalism, humanism and istoria. The narrow scope of this focus makes it difficult to provide an outline of any theory related to art. Instead, the student begins by providing some historical information about the origins of linear perspective; then he describes the technical steps used in the Albertian method for the construction of three dimensional spaces. In Task 2 the student describes the use of Albertian perspective in two appropriate art works. The continued focus on Albertian perspective, rather than theory, makes it difficult to accept that this response has provided sufficient evidence to meet the national level required for achievement in this standard. However, in Task 3, the scope of this response widens as the student relates Albertian perspective to wider theoretical issues such as naturalism, landscape and humanism. This provides sufficient evidence of an outline of Albertian theory for the achievement of this standard. Supporting comments demonstrate evidence of Albertian theory in the selected art works sufficiently to meet the requirements for achievement in this standard. In addition, the comparative discussion in this section explains the relationships between these works and naturalism and humanism sufficiently to meet the lower level required for achievement with Merit. Selected Art Works: Uccello The Battle of San Romano http://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/4battle/1battle.jpg Uccello The Flagellation of Christ http://www.cord.edu/faculty/andersod/piero_flagellation.jpg

Grade: High Achieved At present, there is no student work to exemplify this grade boundary. However, in addition to the work for the Achievement (low) above, a student would be expected to: Begin by identifying and outlining the main points of a theory. Focus on the key principles of the identified theory instead of digressing into points about the theory’s development, influence or history. Demonstrate how the theory is evident in the selected art works with comments which relate to key aspects of the theory, such as naturalism or idealism, and do not simply point out aspects of the perspective system used in the artwork, such as the vanishing point, foreshortening, focal point etc.

Grade: Low Achievement This is a low Achievement. The student begins by identifying the theory being examined. Although much of the first page focuses on the technique and historical development of Albertian perspective, there is sufficient acknowledgement of broader aspects of fifteenth century perspectival theory (such as human proportions, the golden ratio and ‘divine’ paintings) to provide an outline of a theory related to art. This is just sufficient to meet the national level required to meet the first achievement criterion. The descriptions of the selected paintings focus on evidence of the use of perspectival technique rather than theory however it is possible to identify relevant comments in the descriptions of The Deluge and The Flagellation. This provides holistic evidence of the demonstration of the theory in art works. Selected Art Works: Masaccio, The Tribute Money, http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/images/Firenze/Brancacc i_Chapel/800/Masaccio-Tribute-Money-Brancacci-BR850.jpg Donatello, St George and the Dragon http://inillotempore.com/blog/images/St_George_and_the_Dragon_Donatello.jpg Uccello, The Deluge, http://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/4battle/1battle.jpg Piero della Francesca, The Flagellation of Christ http://www.cord.edu/faculty/andersod/piero_flagellation.jpg

Grade: Not Achieved This is a clear Not Achieved. The six diagrams on page 1 illustrate some of the steps used to construct one point perspective; however the detail in the captions to the diagrams describe the techniques depicted in the diagrams and do not provide evidence of an outline of a theory related to art. The captions to the selected art works on page 3 identify aspects of the composition or perspective construction used in the paintings. These points have not been worded to demonstrate how the theory is used in art works. The paragraphs on page 2 provide detailed, and largely unprocessed, information about the selected art works. Most of this information is not relevant to the focus of this achievement standard and none of the information has been organised into a demonstration of the evidence of the theory in the art works. Selected Art Works: Uccello, The Battle of San Romano, 1456-1480 http://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/4battle/1battle.jpg Uccello, The Miracle of the Host, Scene 1: http://www.artilim.com/painting/u/uccello-paolo/miracle-of-the-desecrated-host(scene-1).jpg Scene 2: http://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/5miracle/miracle2.jpg