What art historical period does this work belong to?

Andy Warhol, Flowers (1967), Silk-screen ink and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 115 1/2 × 115 1/2 in Found in the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla

Step 1: Descriiption – A Visual Inventory and Collecting Facts
What facts can you determine based on what you see? Be specific.
• Who made the work of art?
• How was it made?
• What materials were used?
• What do you see?
• What elements of art and principles of design are featured here?
• What art historical period does this work belong to?
• Does the artwork depict an event, place, or story?
• Do you recognize any symbols in the artwork?

Step 2: Analysis – Effects of Elements and Principles
Think of this section as a mini-formal analysis. Consider the facts you have collected above and relate them to one another. Ask questions like… * Please include these
• How do the elements and principles work together here to create an effect on you, the viewer?
• Look at the relationships between the elements in the artwork. How do they help your eyes move around the artwork?
• Ultimately, what is the mood expressed in the artwork based on the application of elements and principles?
• How does the period relate to the subject matter?
• How does the artist’s experience or identity relate to the subject matter or process used?
Step 3: Interpretation – Images and Meanings
Consider the following contexts for this work of art: historical, iconographic, biographical, and psychological.
Historical:
• What historical and cultural events may be conveyed in or influenced this work? How do you know?
• Are there many works by the same artist, or by a group of artists who were influenced by one another and created works in a similar style (for example, Impressionist or Cubist) where your work is displayed? How does your artwork fit into this scheme?
Iconographic:

Are there images or symbols contained in the artwork that carry a deeper meaning than can initially be observed?
If so, do they convey:
• a social statement?
• propaganda?
• a narrative?
• a moral?
• spiritual meaning?
Biographical and Psychological:
What is known to have motivated the artist to create this work? If we don’t know, based on the artist’s biography, what is your guess?
• Does it seem to reflect his or her convictions or values in any way?
• How might the subject of this work resonate with the artist’s biography?
• What aspects of the artist’s biography or psychological state seem to inform or are reflected in this work?
Ultimately, what is this work all about? Substantiate your response to this question with information from the prompts above.

Step 4: Evaluation – Judging the Artwork
It is finally time to express your own opinion about the work of art based on what you have learned.
Final Evaluation or Judgment
• Does this work of art move you in some way or encourage your critical thought? Explain this thoroughly.
• What do you think of its cultural, historical, and/or aesthetic value?
• Would you encourage others to see this artwork? Why or why not?

Last Completed Projects