For this assignment, you will choose a topic related to the collection of the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Please check out the museum’s website and select at least one artwork that interests you. You can get some basic information about the objects from catalogues and/or what you have learnt from the instructor. See your assignment description on Canvas for full details.
In the SAAM catalog, look for a bibliography associated with an image to find secondary sources for your museum paper. Search Primo for the item.
Example of a book citation:
Example of an article citation:
In secondary sources, authors analyze and interpret primary source materials.
Secondary sources can be scholarly or popular. Scholarly sources (sometimes called "academic" or "peer-reviewed" sources) are written by and for experts and typically include bibliographies and citations. Popular sources are written for a general, non-expert audience and can be authored by anyone.
Examples: articles from art journals, books published by museums or university presses, exhibition catalogs
As you view a work of art, ask yourself these questions:
For more information about formal analysis, see The Art of Writing about Art and A Short Guide to Writing about Art and Writing about Art (ebook).
Start with Primo to find books and articles about the artwork you have chosen. Search:
Search these databases to find articles.
A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols by 
Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art by 
Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives by 
Chinese Art by 
Modern Chinese Artists by 
Art and Artists of Twentieth-Century China by 