HIST 122 - Western Civilization and the Pre-Modern World - Course Guide - Myers: Before you Search

Before you begin searching for information, follow these two steps which are detailed in the boxes below:

1. Jot down keywords related to your topic
2. Set-up a free EasyBib account  

Before you being researching, it is important to brainstorm keywords that relate to your topic. For this assignment, you need to research a piece of Renaissance art, but also understand and be able to explain the historical context in which it was created.Image of the Mona Lisa, Da Vinci, and a Map of Florence

Think about these categories and questions: 

1. Artwork: Because you are looking for information about a specific piece of art, you'll probably want to include the title as a keyword in your search. 

• Are there any other names used to describe this piece of art? (e.g. The Mona Lisa is also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde

2. Artist: Often, an artist's biography will reference specific pieces of art or describe the techniques or themes demonstrated in their artwork. 

• What is the artist's name? Are there different ways to spell the name? Does the artist have a nickname?

3. Historical context: As part of your analysis, you need to explain how the work was innovative for the time period and what trends it represents. This calls for an understanding of what was happening during this time period. 

• What were current trends in art during the Renaissance? How is this piece of art similar to or different from what was being done?
• What was happening politically or economically during the Renaissance? Did these political or economic factors influence your piece of artwork?