VA COMP ASSESSMENT 2 Art Criticism

EDWARD HICKS
A PEACEABLE KINGDOM
DESCRIPTION
What can you learn from the title of the artwork?
The title, the The Peaceable Kingdom tells me that
The kingdom is peaceful
The kingdom is calm
Everything, despite their differences, are living together in harmony
DESCRIPTION
What subjects in the artwork can you recognize?
I can recognize
Animals
Native Americans
Other people
Children
Plants
Clouds
Plants
A river
DESCRIPTION
Looking at the elements of design, describe what qualities you see.
I can see
Lines in the branches of the trees
Color in the animals and peoples clothing
Texture in the fur of the animals
Form in the bodies of the animals and people
Value in the sky, trees, and animals
DESCRIPTION
What media and techniques did the artist use?
The artist uses
Mostly paint
Shading
ANALYSIS
Emphasis: Is there a dominant element or focal point that you see first?
Before noticing anything else, my eyes are immediately drawn to
The lion because of the fact that its placed in the central area of the artwork, and it
has an intriguing expression and interesting, realistic shading
The bull draws my eyes because it is the largest animal in the entire painting, and it is
in the very center of the piece
ANALYSIS
Balance: Is there a special balance, or weight, among the elements?
What mood does it create?
There is not a special balance among the artwork because
The animals are unusually proportioned, so they seem to overpower the other side.
The people on the other side are oddly small, so they seem too unbalanced with the
enormous people.
Therefore, it conveys an strange, unbalanced mood
ANALYSIS
Proportion: Do the proportions look normal, ideal, or unusual? Why?
The proportions look unusual because
The people are overly small
The animals are too large in proportion to the people
ANALYSIS
Pattern: Are elements repeated to create a pattern? Where? Why?
The elements are repeated in
The animals fur is a pattern because the strokes are repetitive
Otherwise, theres not much of a pattern throughout the piece because the scenery is
extremely diverse
ANALYSIS
Rhythm or Movement: What visual rhythms or paths of movement do
your eyes follow? Where? Why?
My eyes follow
The moving water shows a flowing movement
The shading and coloring of the clouds are paths of movement that my eyes follow
due to the coloring and shading
ANALYSIS
Unity and Variety: What elements bring together, or unify many parts
of the design. Why? What elements add variety? Why?
Unity is achieved by
The value shows consistent shadows and shade in the kingdom
The consistent dark color choices help unify the artwork because the reappear
throughout the piece

Variety is achieved by
The proportions encompass an enormous range of different sizes, creating variety
and differences that intrigue the reader.
There is a variety of different subjects, with many different sizes, which makes no two
subjects the same.
INTERPRETATION
Is there symbolism in the artwork? What do you think it means?
The symbolism in the artwork is
Different beings can coexist peacefully and harmoniously, as the predators posing
with the many smaller animals, babies, and other people illustrates.
INTERPRETATION
What feeling do you think the artist wanted to give the viewer when
looking at the work?
The author wanted to
Give the viewer a feeling of hope for our society
Convey to the viewers that peace is possible to achieve
INTERPRETATION
Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced?
This work reminds me of how.
I have seen people train animals
I have seen people peacefully interact with the animals
I have seen animals at circuses, zoos, and more working together to create
entertainment and an easier lifestyle for many people
INTERPRETATION
How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or
in your other classes?
The piece reminds me of
When we learned about biology and ecology in science last year and were able to
better understand how animals can interact, help each other, and coexist peacefully.
When we learned how to classify all life forms last year in science. All of the
portrayed life in the picture happens to fall under the mammal classification.
JUDGMENT
What parts of the work make you feel it is a success or failure?
The work is a success because
It is a perfect balance of shape, texture, unity, patterns, movement, and value that
help convey the message of hope and peace to the viewers.
The intricate details and concepts are clearly displayed in the piece.
JUDGMENT
What criteria can you list to help others judge this work?
The piece is
Realistic, yet imaginative
Organized and neat
An interesting combination of shape, space, texture, colors, and other elements
A meaningful way to convey peace and hope to the reader
JUDGMENT
How unique is the work? Why do you feel this work is or is not unique?
The work is unique because
I have never seen or heard about a piece such as this
I have never seen a picture that integrated such a wide-ranging diversity of creatures
living together peacefully.
JUDGMENT
What are some improvements you feel the artist could have made to
the work?
The artist could have
Made the proportions of the animals and the people realistic, despite the fact that
the artist was trying to show distance. It seems a little too unrealistic.