Descriptive Essay (300 Words)

On September 17th, we will be visiting the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC to see two paintings featured in NGA's exhibition Artistic Exchange: Europe and the Islamic World, August Renoir's Odalisque from 1870 and Benjamin Constant's Favorite of the Emir from 1879 are both exhibited in the West Building, Main Floor Gallery and reflect the historical, racial, and gender tensions discussed in your classes. Your assignment for the description essay is to observe one of the two paintings closely and write a detailed description of the painting. Issues to consider:

• Good description is characterized by the use of words that conjure up images derived from our five senses, i.e. the senses of sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound.
• Powerful description uses precise nouns and verbs.
• Avoid excessive use of adjectives and passive voice constructions.
• Keep in mind: Every essay must have a thesis. What is your thesis here?