Question about writing samples!

[ArtHistoryHopeful2018]

I'm trying to narrow down what topic to go with for my writing sample. I'm currently in a senior class where the purpose seems to be largely to produce to a writing sample for grad school applications. We are allowed to rework a previous paper or write something new. My main question is, would it be okay to submit a writing sample from a secondary field of interest (I will be applying for a focus in Renaissance and Baroque, the paper is on a topic in early modernism) if it is well-written and more unique. The main paper I'm considering re-working here is about an aspect of a popular artist's work that is not often discussed and how it affects and can be compared to their other work (it is an often flippantly referenced fact, but very rarely have people gone into detail). I have sources to use there, but very little making the same point I am with it. It seems to be new ground, but supported. Even if it's out of my main focus period, would something like this be better than a paper on a specific artwork that they have likely seen papers about before, or is familiar ground better?

[_DesignHistory]

I would refer to this text: https://geraldgraff.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CluelessinAcademe_compressed.pdf - the chapter "The Application Guessing Game." What the most important thing to remember is not to write the scope of the piece into a vacuum. They want to see that you know how to write, research - i.e. engage in discourse within the humanities. So, the most important thing is that it is well-written, and well researched. If it is outside of the sub-field in which you are applying to study  - from what I have seen that should be fine!