Although Jones is a serious art critic, in this piece his tone is not consistently serious. For example, throughout the piece he refers to da Vinci by his first name, calls him a pop star (par. 2),...

Although Jones is a serious art critic, in this piece his tone is not consistently serious. For example, throughout the piece he refers to da Vinci by his first name, calls him a pop star (par. 2), and describes his subject as “the art fight of the year … a rumble in the museum” (par. 1).

Why do you think Jones discusses art in this way? What does it suggest about how he understands art and artists, as well as what he anticipates about readers who might pick up the piece?

Reread the essay, keeping track of moments that you would describe as more serious than those quoted above. Where does Jones’s discussion become more serious and more along the lines of what you might expect from a serious art critic? Why do you think he becomes serious in these particular moments? As a writing strategy, how effective is his shiing tone?