Art as a Historical Source

Introduction
Besides newspaper, journals and letters, art is another very important primary source that
historians can use. Sometimes they can communicate information in a way that other text types
simply cannot. Paintings, songs and poetry can sometimes teach us a lot about the time period
they are situated in. The information they provides can range from as simple as how people
dressed to what the prevailing mood of the era was to even more complex concepts like how
their society or culture works.
Instructions
You can choose any three art pieces from the same era and analyze what kind of information
can you glean from them. These artifacts can be from any medium of art, from music to
literature to others etc. I would suggest a varied combination of different art forms. You are allow
to choose poems or arts you have seen from other classes. (Ex: if you have learnt about
Flanders Field from an English class, feel free to use it). Think of what can historians learn
about the the time period from your pieces. *Remember sometimes how the artwork makes you
feel can be just as informative as the little factoids you might find in it. Emotion can be an
important way of knowing!
Questions to consider when analyzing the artwork:
What is the background of the artist? Why does the background matter?
What kind of bias would you expect from the creator?
What kind of mood is it? What does it reveal about the time period?
How does it compare to artwork from a previous or future era? Could the era of the time have a
impact on the arts?
What does it focus on? What does it reference?
How does it make you feel? What makes you feel the way you do?
What is the intention behind it?
Which part of the era was the artwork made? What might it show?

Suggestions for Art Pieces

Poets

Artist

Others

Wilfred Owens
W.B Yeats
William Hodgson
John Mcrae
Moina Michael

Umberto Boccioni
CRW Nevinson
David Bomberg
Percy Wyndham Lewis

Ernest Brooks (photographer)

Present your findings

You have three options on how to present your findings. If you take option 1 or 3, please let me
know by certain date, so that I may plan accordingly.
Option 1:
You can present to the class on what you found in your artworks. Each presentation should be
at least 7-10 minutes long. You must demonstrate critical thinking in your analysis!

Option 2:
You can write a paper on what you found. Plan for around 200-500 words per artwork. You must
demonstrate critical thinking in your analysis!

Option 3:
Create a poster based on your critical analysis with your artwork. You may choose to present
this to your class. However if you do not, make sure all your findings are detailed enough for me
to see you demonstrated the necessary critical thinking skills. A visual deconstruction of an
artwork would be a good way to show it.