How do I balance description and analysis when writing about works of art?

Nailing the balance between description and analysis is the key to constructing an A* worthy piece of art historical writing. Though too much description can make your writing dull, a lack of descriptive explanation could undermine your analytical flair. The best way to approach this problem is to think of the descriptive element as a springboard for the analysis.When writing, imagine your reader hasn’t seen or heard of your case study. In order to explain its meaning fully, you’ll have to give a clear sense of what the formal elements of the object are: what is it made of? How big is it? Is it two dimensional, or is it a sculptural work? How is it displayed? Once you’ve gotten the basics down, you can really delve in to the meaning behind the artist’s choices, or the symbolism of the objects appearance. This is the fun bit, and your opportunity to show off to the examiner with creative and individual thought.