Art Topics for Unique Essays

Art is a fertile source of inspiration and so it is one of the best themes to look for good essay topics. When it comes to art, anyone can find a topic they like – think of art styles and genres, the multiplicity of directions, media, etc. At the same time, art topics can be both clichéd and original. In this post, we have gathered a number of fresh and catchy essay topics on art across different epochs and countries. As you work on your art essay, you do not only enjoy the manmade beauty but also broaden your horizons. Let us delve into the world of art!

Our Extensive Collection of Art History Research Paper Topics

Why do people explore and study history so carefully? The answer is simple – they want to avoid making the same mistakes. The same applies to art. Discover the unique treasures hidden in the history of art and you will definitely find an art topic to your liking. Whatever epoch, art movement, or school you choose; there is always a lot to explore in terms of origins, representatives, characteristic features, etc. A few art topics ideas to consider:

• The history, evolution, and techniques in printmaking.
• The impact of WWII on the culture of the countries on the African continent.
• The techniques used to create Egyptian portraits and their formal elements (the use of space, color, line and texture, movement and emotions).
• How do you understand the term ‘philosophy of art’?
• Is photography art?
• Jewelry of ancient Egyptians:

1. How did jewelry shape the art life of that period?
2. What were the most common materials?
3. Decorative vs. religious role of jewelry.
4. Different types of amulets.

• The Edo period in Japan: the characteristics of Kabuki Theater.
• What made the impressionists prominent? How did Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet revolutionize the world of art?
• Why did Egyptians preserve the same art canon for more than three centuries?
• The first musical instruments.
• The allusions to Renaissance in Dan Brown’s bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
• The Apocalypse as the subject of artists in different epochs: the similarities and differences.
• The origins of the Venetian carnival masks.
• The making of stained glass in Medieval Europe.

Famous Artists

The biographies of famous artists also make good art research paper topics. Sometimes they fascinate students with unexpected facts, so-called skeletons in the closet, which help see an artist from a different perspective, ruin some stereotypes about their life, and shed new light on some of their works. As you take into consideration the artist’s motives, ideas, the time they lived in, etc., you come to realize that their works have so many more layers of meaning. This approach will help you make a paper that does not only interest the reader but also demonstrates the incredible depth of analysis. Writing about so magnificent and never ordinary life of artists will surely make your essay a success.

18th century:

1. Jean-Antoine Watteau
2. Jean-Baptiste Pater
3. Etienne Falconet
4. Jean-Honore Fragonard
5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
6. Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin
7. Francesco Rastrelli
8. Jacques-Louis David
9. Jean Auguste-Dominique Ingres
10. Ludwig van Beethoven
11. Thomas Gainsborough

19th century:

1. Edward Munch
2. Carlo Maria Mariani
3. Auguste Rodin
4. Edgar Degas
5. Eduard Manet
6. Vincent Willem van Gogh
7. Man Ray
8. Eugene Delacroix
9. Francisco Goya
10. Paul Gauguin

20th century:

1. Pablo Picasso
2. Henri Matisse
3. Georges Braque
4. Wassily Kandinsky
5. Alberto Giacometti
6. Georgia O’Keeffe
7. Andy Warhol
8. Emil Nolde
9. Edvard Munch
10. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
11. Frida Kahlo
12. Egon Sciele
13. Georges Braque
14. Ingmar Bergman
15. Henry Spencer Moore
16. Jackson Pollock
17. Tracy Emin
18. Salvador Dali

Overstepping Boundaries: Global Art

We live on an amazing planet, which is home to hundreds of nations and thousands of ethnic groups. This means that we have a chance to explore and enjoy an abundance of cultures, each unique and captivating. Take a closer look at them and you will definitely come across a great topic to write about.

1. The influence of traditional Japanese calligraphy on modern lettering.
2. K-pop: the unique subculture.
3. How a synthesis of ancient traditions and modern innovations found its reflection in Chinese circus
4. Bollywood: an Asian version of Hollywood or a unique creation of the Indian culture.
5. Hindi-language film production.
6. The influence of African tribes on modern fashion.
7. Maori culture: history and classifications of the traditional war dance.
8. Indonesian and Malaysian shadow Puppet Theater.
9. The differences between of mehndi in India, Africa, and the Middle East and their influence on 21st century body art.
10. Vietnamese water puppetry: a unique tradition and its place in the global culture.
11. Totems in Papua New Guinea and their representation in modern cinema.

Analysis Essay Topic Ideas

Writing a strong art appreciation paper requires substantial knowledge of art and its history. If you would like to select some of the topics presented below, make sure you conduct an in-depth research of the artist, his/her style and influences, background, and so on. Readers always appreciate a coherent and detailed analysis of an art piece.

1. “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli: composition, coloring, and symbols.
2. What makes “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci one of the most prominent artworks?
3. What is the central message of the painting “Judith Slaying Holfernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi?
4. Conducts a formal analysis of “Marriage Contract” by Giovanni Arnolfini.
5. Describe the line, pattern, and mood in Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s “Madame Ines Moitesier”.
6. Discuss the biblical symbols in “Madonna of the Fish” by Raphael.
7. Mikhail Vrubel’s demons: the development of a character in “The Demon Seated,” “The Demon Flying,” “The Demon Downcast.”
8. The features of magic realism in Eric Roux-Fontaine’s works.
9. Symbolism in Frida Kahlo’s self-portraits.
10. Peter Paul Rubens’s approach to depicting female bodies.
11. The analysis of decorative elements in Gustav Klimt’s artworks.
12. The secret of Mona Lisa’s smile in Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece.
13. To which extent the interpretation of engraving “Melencolia I” by Albrecht Dürer is correct?
14. Johannes Vemeer’s and Dutch optics: the influence of technological progress on art.

Modern Art Topic Ideas

New is always more exciting but is it better? There are people who think that modern art lacks depth of meaning, particularly due to technological advances. Likewise, modern art admirers speak of the importance and uniqueness of modern art movements, new and breathtaking forms, symbolism, and so on. Choosing a controversial topic pertaining to modern art will allow you to spark genuine interest in your readers.

1. Modern art artistic styles:

• Pop art
• Art Deco
• Conceptual art

1. Globalization and modern art: the pros and cons.
2. How activism finds its reflection in art.
3. The art of creating impactful content on social media platforms.
4. Political cartoons as an unexpected art form.
5. Modern art: estheticism vs. impact.
6. Hyperrealism in modern paintings: art or plagiarism?

Art Topics by Essay Type

Choose from topic suggestion for your argumentative, cause and effect, or compare and contrast essays. These are the most common essay types since they allow combining creativity and research.

Art Topics for an Argumentative Essay

This type of essays is perfect for students who equally like art and discussions. Express your viewpoint clearly and convincingly, describe your reasoning, and be prepared to receive high grades! The following topic ideas will surely help you achieve this goal.

1. How do you tell ‘good’ art from ‘bad’ art?
2. Are art disciplines necessary for school children?
3. Compile a list of top-10 most important artworks of the 20^th century. Justify your point of view.
4. Why does modern art have a strong social impact?
5. Are computer games art?
6. Graffiti: art or vandalism?
7. Banksy: should art be shocking?
8. Which advertisement can be called art?
9. How does modern art shape everyday life?
10. The emotional impact of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica” on the viewers.

Topic Ideas for Cause and Effect Essay

The pillars of a good cause and effect essay are reasons and consequences. A good cause-and-effect connection can be found between any two phenomena and art is not an exception.

1. Describe the impact of Chinese traditional art on one American painting of your choosing.
2. Trace down the impact of the Second Great Migration on Harlem Renaissance.
3. The influence of Cultural Revolution on traditional art of China.
4. The connection between iconoclasm and Muslim art.
5. What are the social causes of medieval art decline?
6. The impact of mythology on European art.
7. What are the causes of Renaissance?
8. The influence of Japanese worldview on rock garden.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

These essay topics are more complex than they might seem. However, you will have much fun exploring them!

1. The canonic proportions in Greek and Egyptian artworks.
2. How is modern art different from the rest of periods?
3. Blue and Rose periods in Picasso’s art life.
4. Surrealistic paintings of Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali
5. The similarities and differences between English and French gardens.
6. Baroque vs. Rococo styles.
7. The depiction of a human being in Mannerism and Baroque styles