art international || instructional resources: take a closer look

National Art Education Association

Instructional Resources: Take a Closer LookAuthor(s): Susan JacobsenSource: Art Education, Vol. 47, No. 1, Art International (Jan., 1994), pp. 25-28+49-53Published by: National Art Education AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3193440 .

Accessed: 15/06/2014 13:25

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

National Art Education Association is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to ArtEducation.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 188.72.126.88 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 13:25:14 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=naea

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3193440?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


Take a Closer Look

INSTRUCTIONAL

U - U~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nicolas de Largilliere (1656-1746) French. Portrait of Catherine Coustard, Marquise of Castelnau, Wife of Charles-LeonorAubry, With Her Son Leonor.

Oil on canvas, 54-1/2 x 41-3/4", about 1699-1700. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The John R. Van Derlip Fund.



TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

A work of art may have more than one story to tell. Even though you can appreciate how it looks, you may not understand all the meanings it conveys. To understand the full meaning the artist has intended, you need information about the artist and the culture the artist lived in as well as information about symbols the artist may have used. The symbols may be unique or personal to the individual artist, or they may be universally understood. The art historian researches the life of the artist and the culture the artist lived in, and this information helps us to more fully understand works of art.

Portrait of Catherine Coustard, Marquise of Castelnau, Wife of Charles-Leonor Aubry, With Her Son Leonor

NICOLAS DE LARGTTITERE (1656-1746) French

Oil on canvas, 54-1/2 x 41-3/4", about 1699-1700

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts The John R. Van Derlip Fund

Goal: To have students grades K-3 understand that a portrait may tell us more than just what that person looked like. A portrait can also tell about the life and times of the person if we know how to read the clues.

Objectives: Students will 1) learn about the artist Largilliere and his work as a portrait painter in the French court, 2) learn where France is, and that it is part of the continent called Europe, 3) learn to look for clues that will tell us who the people are and what their lives were like, 4) understand that clothing (particularly dresses) worn by children in earlier times did not necessarily indicate the wearer's gender and 5) learn that artists use composition to emphasize the message or story the painting tells.

Background: Nicolas de Largilliere painted portraits of wealthy people who were part of King Louis XV's court in France. King Louis granted a hereditary noble title to Leonor Aubry, the head of a wealthy family who lived in the French

countryside. To celebrate this honor the family commissioned Largilliere to paint a portrait of Leonor Aubry's daughter-in-law with his grandson, his namesake. Largilliere painted many portraits of people in the French court. Sometimes the people chose to be costumed as mythological characters, and sometimes they wore their best clothes. In this portrait, Madame Aubry stands with her hand on the shoulder of the young Leonor, the future leader of the family, who will inherit the royal title given to his grandfather. Both figures are dressed in very elaborate and fashionable clothing to indicate how important and wealthy they are. Leonor looks at first glance to be a girl because he is wearing a dress, but the title of the painting tells us that Leonor is a boy. Long ago, both young boys and girls wore dresses until they were six to eight years old, especially when they were dressed up. It was the fashion of the time.

ART EDUCATION / JANUARY 1994



INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES:

A. Looking and Describing: Who are the figures in the painting? Describe the people you see. What are they wearing? Describe the colors and the textures you see. How did the artist arrange the figures? What is in the foreground of the painting? What is in the background?

B. Analyzing: Choose two students to act the part of Leonor and his mother and pose as the figures in the painting are posed. Where does the mother place her hands? Divide the painting into two parts. What half of the painting has the most color? texture?

C. Interpretation: What effect do the colors and textures have? Who dresses in this manner? How would the painting be different if the colors were different? How do we know if the figure on the left is a boy or a girl? In our culture and

society can you tell a person's gender from the clothes he or she wears? Was that true in long-ago France?

D. Judging: How does the artist tell us that the child will inherit the family's wealth and title? Steer the conversation to the composition of the painting, the placement of the figures and hands of the mother.

E. Evaluating Studio Activity: Have the students write a story about two characters. Have each child draw a portrait of these characters, telling the story by the clothing the figures wear and the placement of the figures, without using any words in the drawing. Discuss the use of foreground and background to indicate the importance of the figures. Hang all the drawings on the wall. Read the stories aloud and match the written stories to the drawings.

Belt (yet) Leather, shells, glass beads,

and natural fibers Zaire, Kuba

20th Century The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund

Goal: To have students grades 4-6 understand that symbols can be used to convey meanings of power and authority.

Objectives: Students will 1) learn about the Kuba people and the Kings who ruled them, 2) recognize designs and symbols of the Kuba people and 3) understand that artists employ variations on a theme to give a work of art both interest and unity.

Background: The Kuba people live in the center of Africa on a flat grassy plain known as the savannah. The name of their country is Zaire. This belt would have been worn only by the King or members of his court. The King displayed his power and authority by wearing a belt like this. Each amulet on the belt would have been a gift to the King. The amulets are decorated with symbols the Kuba people understand. The small shells, called cowrie shells, were traded throughout Africa and were valued as money. The shells and beads have power or value in and of themselves, and when they are embroidered in these decorative patterns that also have meaning they bring more power and prestige to the belt and

the person who wears it. Each design has a special meaning. We know the meaning of some of the patterns, for example (A) is called Paang, a ram's head; (B) is Imbol, the paw of a lion, the king of the animals; and (C) is called Nkop and represents double gongs, the royal instrument. Sometimes on a Kuba belt there will be two amulets almost the same shape, one a real shell, the other a beaded and decorated amulet in the shape of the real shell. This belt would certainly enhance the King's authority because his people would all understand the power and meaning of each design. The emblems and symbols of royalty worn by the King, such as this belt, are called regalia.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: A. Looking and Describing: Describe the belt. What

materials has the artist used? How many amulets are there? How many different patterns and shapes do you see? How many similar forms or patterns do you see?

B. Analyzing: Compare Kuba regalia to other kings' regalia (for example, King Henry VIII of England, or King

JANUARY 1994 / ART EDUCATION



I

Zaire, Kuba. 20th Century. BeIt(yet). Leather, shells, glass beads, and natural tibers. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund.



Edgar Degas (1834-1917) French. Mademoiselle Hortense Valpincon. Oil on canvas, 29-15/16 x 43-5/8", 1871. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The John R. Van Derlip Fund.

I



Louis XIV of France.) Find Zaire on a map of Africa. How would people living in the middle of Africa get shells? What other purposes would these materials be used for? Do any of these patterns remind you of anything?

C. Interpretation: The Kuba people have told us what some of their symbols mean. Match the designs or symbols (Imbol, Paang and Nkop) to their meanings.

D. Judging: Imagine a king wearing this belt now that you understand what some of these designs and symbols mean. Would the king look more or less powerful? Has the artist accomplished his purpose?

E. Evaluating Studio Activity: Have students recall symbols we use in everyday life, (sports equipment logos, the peace sign, fast food restaurant signs.) Discuss what these symbols mean. Have students design symbols of prestige and power that reflect their cultural values. Design these symbols as logos, or incorporate them into fashion jewelry design.

2.

1. IMBOL- the paw of a

lion, the king of animals

2. PAANG- a ram's

head, the royal emblem

3.

3. NKOP- double gongs, the royal instrument

Working from the designs you have just created, vary them to create a new design combining both your original symbols and the variations. Discuss the impact of the design as a singular entity and as varied and grouped together. Which design has the greater impact?

Mademoiselle Hortense Valpincon EDGAR DEGAS

(1834-1917) French Oil on canvas, 29 15/16" x 43 5/8", 1871

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts The John R. Van Derlip Fund

Goal: Students grades 7-9 will learn the role of the art historian and how art historical research helps us to understand the artist's intention.

Objectives: Students will 1) learn about the artist Edgar Degas and why he is called an Impressionist, 2) discuss his style of portrait painting and how it compares to the artists who came before him (Largilliere for example), 3) recognize different styles of portraiture and 4) learn how artists use materials expressively.

Background: Edgar Degas is known as one of the Impressionists. These artists broke away from the official styles sponsored by the government in nineteenth century France to paint the world as they saw it. This portrait of Hortense Valpincon was painted when Degas visited his friends, her parents, in the countryside outside Paris. We know the story of how Degas painted this picture because he gave the painting to his friends, the Valpincons. The family

kept the painting for many years. Sixty years after Degas painted this portrait, Hortense told her childhood memories to an art historian. She recalled the time Degas came to visit her family and how he painted her portrait. This account was published, and that is how we come to know the story.

Art historians read published accounts, diaries, and letters and interview people who have first hand knowledge to find information about works of art. The art historian also investigates the materials artists use. All of this information is called "research." The pose of Hortense looks spontaneous and life-like, just as you might take a photograph or snapshot of your friend today. However, cameras had just recently been invented, and they needed a very long exposure time to make a picture. That is why most photographs from this period of time looked very formal and stiff, more like the earlier portraits of the French court. The candid pose we see in this painting was a new style employed only by artists using brush

ART EDUCATION / JANUARY 1994



and paint because the camera was not technically able to capture an image in a moment's time. One of the reasons artists like Degas were called Impressionists was because they could capture the impression and show us the personality of the sitter.

Think of the art historian as a detective. Although we can appreciate the painting by looking at it, additional information gathered by the art historian helps us to better understand the artist and his creation.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: A. Looking and Describing: Describe the figure in the

painting. Describe her face. Is she smiling? What is she wearing? What is she doing? Describe how she is standing. What is she holding? Describe the colors the artist used.

B. Analyzing: What kinds of lines do you see? What colors are used for the figure? What colors are used in the rest of the painting? Can you see how the artist changed what he originally painted? Compare this portrait to the Largilliere. We know something about who Leonor might be because of the clothes he is wearing. Do Hortense's clothes tell us anything about her? Compare the compositions of the two paintings.

C. Interpretation: What does the figure's expression tell us about her? What do the brush lines tell us about how Degas painted this picture? What effect do the colors have? What effect do the lines have? Why do you think the artist painted this picture?

D. Judging: We can only speculate if the artist successfully portrayed Hortense's personality as well as her physical likeness because we didn't know her, but does his portrayal make you wonder what she might have been like? How does the portrait of Hortense make you feel about her? Is this an interesting painting to let your eyes wander through?

E. Evaluating Studio Activity: Taking turns, have one student volunteer to model for the rest of the class. Using brush and ink, sketch the model posing in an everyday activity like carrying books or arranging objects on a desk top. Each student should do two or three quick sketches followed by a longer and more detailed one. In the preliminary drawing, work out the composition. In the final drawing, concentrate on the figure's expression. If the student wishes to alter the pose, make the corrections on top of the original sketch. Evaluate the brush and ink sketches. Did the students successfully capture the body language of the model?

Peace Concluded

SIR JOHN EVEREIT MTTJ AIS (1829-96) English

Oil on canvas, 46" x 36", 1856 The Minneapolis Institute of Arts

The Putnam Dana McMillan Fund

Goal: Students grades 10 to 12 will learn that paintings can be allegories.

Objectives: To 1) recognize symbols and decipher their meaning, 2) understand that art can have a social or political message.

Background: While at first glance, this painting appears to be just a warm family portrait, a closer look at the newspaper reveals another story, one with a strong social message. The newspaper in the painting is a reproduction of the London Times of March 31,1856, announcing the end of the Crimean War. This is the date the peace treaty was signed. In this war between Turkey and Russia, England and

France were allied with Turkey which held Russia in check as it tried to expand into southeastern Europe and control trade on the Danube River and the Black Sea. The animals on the woman's lap are symbols for the countries involved in the war. The animals in the toy box represent Great Britain's colonial possessions. Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "Charge of the Light Brigade" was written about the Battle of Balaclava and this same battle is the subject of the print on the wall behind the newspaper and next to the bay laurel bush, a symbol of victory and virtue. Traditional crowns of victory are made from bay laurel. The novel tucked between the pillows is William Thackeray's The Newcomes, the story

JANUARY 1994 / ART EDUCATION N



b66 1 AUVnNVr / NOl IV na3 Iv 1 V

*punj uell!qo\ euea weulnd 8al -sHV JO alnl!isul s!iodeauu!J a4I 9998L ',9c x ,,q9 'seAUBe uo !o 'papnl/uo00 a00d *4s!l6u3 (968 L-6Z8) si!e!\| WaJ9A3 uuop !S



of a military family. All these symbols and references tell the larger story against the backdrop of the happy united family secure in their home now that the war has ended.

Millais along with artist friends William Holman Hunt and Dante Gabriel Rossetti formed an artistic group called the Pre- Raphaelites. They gave themselves this name because they most admired the artists of the early Renaissance, or those artists who came before Raphael. They imitated the clarity and simplicity of these early Renaissance artists. The highly detailed surface of Millais's painting is a tribute to the earlier artists he admired. He painted everything so distinctly that we can read the headlines in the newspaper.

This is not a portrait of a real family, rather Millais asked his friends to pose for his idealized family. The most important aspect of this painting, from Millais' point of view, was the underlying story.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: A. Looking and Describing: Describe the scene in the

painting. Describe the figures. What are they doing? What are they holding? Name the toy animals. List all the furnishings you see.

B. Analyzing: What is the subject of the print on the wall? What does the newspaper say? Why are the animals grouped the way they are? What is tucked between the pillows? How many of these objects are symbols or references? Why is the girl holding the medal? Why is the man holding a newspaper?

C. Interpretation: What do the references and symbols mean? What do the groupings of the symbols mean? What do the animals in the box stand for? What do the animals on the woman's lap stand for? What does the dove with an olive branch mean? Put all of this together and reconstruct the story.

D. Judging: Has the artist clearly told more than one

story? Is there a modem counterpart to a story like this? E. Evaluating Studio Activity: Have students select a

social issue or current event. Research both historical symbols and symbols used in everyday life that can be used to relate the issue or event as an allegory. Compose a picture that tells two stories, one that can be understood at first glance, the other that one has to decipher or decode to understand. Evaluate the works on the ability of the student to use allegory to communicate a social issue or current event. Are the messages clear? Do all the elements fit together? Does the technical aspect of the drawing or painting contribute to your understanding or detract from it?

Susan Jacobsen is Supervisor of Public Programs, The Minneapolis Institute ofArts, Minneapolis, MN.

SOURCES: Resources of The Minneapolis Institute of Arts Education Department

that contributed to this article include 1) object files, 2) the Docent Manual, 3) Treasure Hunt Gallery Guides for Young People, 4) Lesson plans from the Young People's Program, and 5) Selected Works, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts handbook.

Related articles and books include: Boggs, J.S., Druick, D.W., Loyrette, H., Pantazzi, M. & Tinterow, G.

(1988).Degas,NewYork, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Ottawa, National Gallery of Canada.

Corett, J. (1982). Art Royal Kuba,Grafica Sipiel Milano. DeLastic, G. (1976-77). Largilliere's portrait of Madame Aubry,The

Minneapolis Institute ofArts Bulletin,Vol. LXIII, pp 75-83. Mandle, E.R (1969). "Peace Concluded": An important Pre-Raphaelite

painting, The Minneapolis Institute ofArts Bulletin,Vol. LVIII, pp 54- 57.

Rogers, D.C. & Mayer, S. (1978).Kuba people ofcentralAfrica,University Art Museum, The University of Texas at Austin.

JANUARY 1994 / ART EDUCATION



art international || instructional resources: take a closer look

Documents