The artifact I have chosen to represent my intercultural competence skills is a formal analysis essay titled “Formal Analysis of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper.” I completed this essay for ART-111: Art Appreciation during an 8-week online summer term. The purpose of this assignment was to critique an influential piece of art using various art philosophies and theories. I selected this artifact because it required me to analyze art within the cultural context of the Italian High Renaissance. This artifact demonstrates my ability to apply contextual analysis, understand cultural influences on artistic expression, and remain objective in discussing historical perspectives.

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    To successfully complete this essay, I set two key goals for myself. The first goal was to use contextual analysis to understand 15th-century Italian culture and apply this understanding to Da Vinci’s art. This was important because The Last Supper is deeply influenced by the intellectual and artistic principles of the Italian High Renaissance. To achieve this, I examined how humanism, realism, and innovation were central themes in both the period and Da Vinci’s work. In the essay, I discuss the core principles of the Italian High Renaissance, including humanism, intellectual growth, and innovation. Each of these core principles is present in Da Vinci’s work, to the extent that his work is often used as the fingerpost for Italian High Renaissance art. Throughout the essay, I provide examples of how these cultural principles shaped Da Vinci’s use of perspective, composition, and symbolism. My prior coursework in history (HIS 111 and HIS 112) and literature (ENG 242) helped me develop the analytical skills necessary to understand cultural influences. 

 

    The second goal was to remain unbiased and objective during my discussion of the Italian High Renaissance and its culture. A key requirement of the assignment was to critique the artwork without imposing personal judgments on the cultural principles behind it. When discussing the Italian High Renaissance, these principles include humanism, realism, and intellectualism. To remain unbiased with regards to these principles, I avoided evaluating the principles themselves and rather applied them to the artwork being discussed. For example, instead of discussing whether realism is the "right" guiding principle for culture, I explained how realism influenced Da Vinci to create organic shapes, utilize linear perspective, and depict human emotion. This approach allowed me to appreciate the diversity of artistic traditions and remain culturally objective. I have also practiced remaining objective in cultural discussions for assignments in HIS 111, HIS 112, SPA 111, and SPA 112.

 

    Looking back, this artifact played a significant role in shaping my intercultural competence. Culture shape values, ideas, and influence people in ways that create diversity. Through this assignment, I learned how to understand and appreciate other cultures, not simply for shared principles and values, but also their differences. Although realism may not be a particularly strong guiding value in my culture, I can appreciate the diversity it brings to my perspective, regardless of whether it changes my core beliefs, values, or ideas. This is significant because in my future personal, academic, and professional endeavors, I will encounter various cultural backgrounds, with which I must understand how to relate and appreciate. This will bring considerable diversity to my perspectives, which challenges me to think deeply about my principles, improve my way of thinking, and constantly grow, as an individual, student, and professional.