NOTES: FACING THE PORTRAIT TOUR
by Robert Anderson
Introduction & Welcome
Introduction of self
Review expectations and manners in the galleries
Review the goal of the tour
To learn about the many kinds of portraits
artists create
Who knows the definition of the word portrait?
A painting or a sculpture of a known person or
group of people
Some show the sitter from waist up -
Some almost the whole person
Others are done full length
Artists also often give clues about what the sitter was like
As we visit portraits today
Determine what kind of portrait it is, , ,
Full etc.
Find clues that tell us more about the person
Procedure - in each gallery
Note terra cotta & marble busts as you walk thru the galleries
Emphasis changes by age group
Younger students - identification & clues
about identity
Older students - social & contextual
information
Young children - Facing the portrait
This is a portrait of a man, woman, boy, girl?
This person is young, middle aged. old?
The body is full, , , head?
The hair is choice of different styles?
This person is important - ordinary?
What did we learn? Definition of a
portrait
Different size portraits
Older students - Facing the portrait
Artist's name?
Is this a portrait? Why?
Look at the face
Which way is the face turned?
Where is the person looking?
Do the eyes seem focused on a particular
object?
Does the person's face seem to express an emotion?
Is the person smiling, sad, calm, surprised? Angry? Proud?
Does the face reflect any aspects of the sitter's personality or mood?
How old do you think the person is?
Young, middle-aged, old
If you could touch the face, how would the skin
feel?
Look at the figure or body
How much of the body does the artist show?
Could the artist have shown more or less of the
sitter?
Is the pose full, , , 0r just the head?
Which way are the shoulders turned?
Are the face and shoulders turned in the same direction?
Does the body seem to be still or in motion?
Look at the hair
How is it styled?
Is it Straight or curled - thick or thin - wiry
or soft - full or sparse
Look at the clothing
Is it fancy or plain - heavy or light - fitted
or loose - rough or smooth
Is it modern clothing?
What would people do in such clothes?
Color
What is the main color in the portrait?
Background
Is there a background?
Does it tell us anything about the figure?
The Paintings
Gallery #3 - Cardinal Albrecht as St. Jerome
First painting seen
Relate gallery similarities to painting
Note animals - colors - lines
Title of painting - Who was he?
Why depicted as St. Jerome?
How was this done?
Gallery #4 - Bust on way through
Gallery #5 - Illustrate different sizes of portraits - Bust, , , , Full
Gallery #6 - Family Group
Portrait of Mario Benvenuti
Details of armor Carved writing in Latin
Important information Location
Look at face Posed Fancy armor
- soft cloth
Tell name and label information
Gallery #8 - Judith with the Head of Holofernes (not a portrait)
Two Judiths! Different
Not portraits - faces not known
Tell story - perform Kids sit
Which painted by a man
& which by a woman?
Why?
Portrait of a Cardinal
Wall color & wall in picture Pulls gallery together
Size of portrait - 3/4
Gallery #10 - Man with a Spear - Woman with a Rose
Gallery #14 - Philip IV
Look for changes - pentimenti
Imitate pose
Gallery #15 - Madame Bourbon-Conti
Gallery #16 -
Gallery #18 - General Honywood & Marquis of Granby
Optional activity at end of the tour has different level activity sheets for different
grade levels.
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