Artwork is a multifaceted form of expression that cannot be fully understood with simple cursory glances that barely give us time to notice the subject matter of a painting. In order to get the full effect of any piece of art, it is crucial to recognize that every twist of a line in a painting or indentation in a sculpture was created with a purpose of evoking a certain or impression from us. Since art does not usually come with a written description explaining what the artist was trying to communicate, it becomes our responsibility to think critically about the artist’s decisions. Then, the audience can come up with an educated interpretation as to what the true meaning of the painting is. In his chapter entitled “An Analysis of the Work of Art,” Joshua Taylor emphasizes the importance of thoroughly analyzing artwork to have the full artistic experience. Taylor defines subject matter as the objects and incidents represented and visual form as the techniques chosen by the artist to express meaning. The combined effect of these terms is referred to as expressive content …show more content…
Sleeping by English painter John Everett Millias and Sweet Dreams Dreaming of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Austrian painter Franz Schrotzberg are both paintings of a young girl sleeping in her bed. Sleeping features a nanny and vividly colored tapestries in the background while Sweet Dreams Sleeping of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves includes a dark background with translucent storybook characters all around this child. Although there are substantial similarities, these two paintings could not differ more in their expressive content. Millias highlights how the daughter is overshadowed by all of her family’s material possessions while Schrotzberg emphasizes how the family values the daughter’s