17th Century Dutch Painting and Orientalism
Your paper should be at least 8-10 pages long, double-spaced. The paper should include, in order: (1) title page (2) main body of the paper with numbered pages (3) end notes, (4) bibliography or works cited, and (5) numbered illustrations (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and so on). I have no set number of secondary sources that I expect to see, but certainly you will want to explore at least several so that you are not completely bound to the ideas of one author. You must use serious scholarly sources, not Wikipedia or other anonymous internet sources: you may employ internet databases such as JSTOR, jhna.org, or the Search function on the UH library website, which will sometimes conjure up online-accessible books and articles. Use the Chicago style for citations, with superscripted numbers that refer to the endnotes (and no author’s name in the main body of the text as in the MLA format). In the paper, refer to illustrations in something like the following manner “…in Rembrandt’s Nightwatch, dated 1642 (Fig. 4), the artist painted…” You must provide illustrations of all works that you discuss. Captions for the illustrations should include name of artist, subject of work, medium, dimensions, and location or collection.
Your paper should be organized as follows: first, a clear introductory paragraph that culminates in a thesis sentence that encapsulates your argument. The succeeding paragraphs will then develop this thesis with evidence and reasoned analysis—either yours or that of your primary or secondary sources. Think critically about those sources and their arguments, and feel free to take issue with them when you disagree. I would suggest that your papers investigate the meaning of works of art in a historical and cultural context: this may concern aspects of iconography and/or style. End your paper with a concluding paragraph that sums up your main points and reminds your readers how you have made your argument. You may also highlight aspects of your subject that invite further study.
