Compare and Contrast

When I was an undergrad I was introduced to a popular practice in art history, the compare and contrast essay. I wrote countless papers about how various works of art were similar or different; Cindy Sherman vs. Diane Arbus, Donatello's David vs. Michelangelo's David, Giotto vs. Duccio. What is the visual vocabulary? Line, color, composition, etc. So imagine my surprise when I found the most bizarre, but spot on compare and contrast I've seen in awhile. BUST Magazine put a post on their blog today about Bill Clinton flying to Korea to negotiate the release of two American journalists. Along side the picture of Clinton posed with Kim Jong-il was an image of Grant Wood's "American Gothic." The somber expressions, the strong lines, the similarity in face shape; seriously, Clinton has that girl's nose and Kim Jong-il has the man's chin. The strange part is that there is no explanation of the painting juxtaposed with the photo, it's just there. Take a gander yourself, write an essay if you wish.