Focus Assessment Three

FOCUS ART ASSESSMENT THREE: Using your SAME focus art from the first two
assessments, you will need to write another comparison piece. This time you will identify your
artwork based on the culture or country it is from, the time it was made and where it is located
now. Choose an artwork from Chapters 15-20 that is similar in some ways, and explain how they
are the same in at least three ways. Then, in a separate paragraph, choose another artwork that is
different in some ways, and explain how it differs from your focus artwork in at least three ways.
Try to use terminology from the book that describes your artwork. For the comparison pieces,
you will need to name the artworks, the artists and the year they were made. 

John Singer Sargent. Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice. 1905. Watercolor over graphite and pen and ink on
wove paper. 13 13/16” X 19 3/8”.

Pg. 117
 Focus Assessment Three

Pont Du Gard. Nimes, France. 15 CE. Limestone. Height 161’, length 902’. Photograph: Duane Preble. (pg. 224).

Pomo Feather Basket. California. Before 1920. Feathers, beads, and shells. 4” X 13” X 13”.

Photo by Larry Reynolds (pg. 352).

 Focus Assessment Three

Identify culture, time period and current location                 

Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice was painted by John Singer Sargent in Venice, Italy
in 1905. Venice, Italy is the current location as well. This watercolor was probably most
influenced by the Impressionistic art style. The viewer can see impressionism in the way Sargent
shows the sunlight coming down on the water and makes the reflections of the boats.
Impressionism can also be seen in the fact that the artist created this piece while he was outside
taking a gondola ride.
The Pont Du Gard is located in Nimes, France. Nimes is the current location as well. It is
an aqueduct bridge. It was created during the Roman Architectural Revolution. The Roman
builders created the aqueduct through the use of liquid concrete. Built in 15 CE, this bridge is
now around two thousand years old.
The Pomo Feather Basket was created in present day Northern California before 1920.
The Pomo were Native Americans of the Pacific Coast region. They created baskets that were so
tight they could hold water. Colored feather baskets were the highest artistic achievement in
Pomo culture. The art of basketmaking was traditionally passed down from mother to daughter.
Baskets could be used for functionality or for decoration and gifts.

Identify a similar artwork and compare in three ways       

It was interesting trying to find a work that is homogenous to Rio de Santa Maria
Formosa, Venice. The work that I found that is the most similar to Sargent’s watercolor is Pont
du Gard. Nimes, France. 15 CE. Limestone. Height 161’, length 902’. The photograph was taken
by Duane Preble (pg. 224). At first glance, Pont Du Gard does not look similar to Rio de Santa
Maria. However, if the viewer looks deeper, he will see that these two pieces have a lot in
common.
First, one very noticeable similarity in these two pieces is the use of the rounded arch.
Sargent shows the rounded arch in the two bridges in his painting. The bridges needed to be
rounded for the water and the gondolas to pass beneath them. Pont Du Gard has rounded arches
and arcades. Although the arches are much taller, they have the same rounded shape.
Second, both artworks have the same main colors of blue and tan. In Sargent’s piece, the
boat and the water are blue. The bridge, oar, and buildings are a crème-tan color. Pont Du Gard
also has blue water. There is also blue sky. The bridge and arches are a crème-tan color.
Third, Sargent and Preble both make use of similar characteristics. For example, linear
perspective is seen in Pont Du Gard and in Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice. When seeing
the artworks, the viewer’s eyes seem to follow the water into the distance. Another common
characteristic is water reflection. Sargent intentionally tried to show how the light magnified the
reflections in the water. The reflection of the bridge in the water in Pont Du Gard is also very
visible.
 Focus Assessment Three

Identify a different artwork and compare in three ways    

The Pomo Feather Basket is very different than Rio de Santa Maria Formosa, Venice in a
few ways. First, Santa Maria was created with the liquid medium of watercolor paint, pen, and
ink. The support for this artwork is wove paper. The feather basket was created with basket
material, feathers, beads, and shells.
Secondly, the two pieces have a difference in function. Sargent’s artwork can only be
used as decoration and inspiration. The basket, however, can be used to carry supplies. The
basket can also be used as decoration. The making of the feather basket is passed down from
mother to daughter and training was incorporated into other tribal traditions which means the
basket has significance in who made it and how it was made.
Third, there is a difference in the colors used in the two artworks. Sargent used blue and
tan to depict what he was seeing on the gondola. The feather basket (above and on pg. 352) has a
bright pinkish-orange color on the bottom. It is surrounded by white and multicolored shells and
black feathers. While Sargent’s colors are calm, the colors on the basket are very vibrant and
lively.