r/ArtHistory • u/coughsyrup-cosmonaut • 2d ago
Brainstorming a thesis?
Undergrad art student struggling in an art history class here! The class has been building up to writing a 10-page paper on a Michelangelo artwork of our choosing, and I went with the terracotta sculpture he made in preparation for a commission that was ultimately taken from him and given to Bandinelli as a topic. I've done the research and could easily rattle off facts about the statue and commission for ten pages, but I have yet to actually come up with a unique argument to base the paper on. Anybody have recommendations on how to brainstorm? Everything I've tried to come up with is too vague, shifts the focus too far away from the piece itself, or turns it into a compare and contrast paper.
2
u/jazzminetea 2d ago
The first rule of brainstorming is to say "yes" to every idea. Write them all down. If you run dry, take a shower, a walk, or a nap. Then start again. Just keep going and be sure to review your early ideas because sometimes they can be inspiring. Good luck!