Showing posts with label Van Eyck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Van Eyck. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Van Eyck
Note: The kids in your class may ask whether or not Mrs. Arnolfini is pregnant and they "had" to get married. She does look pregnant in the picture!
If you look closely at her hands, Mrs. Arnolfini has the folds of her heavy dress bunched in her hands, actually accentuating the pregnant look.
A child was looked on as a gift from God and couples hoped to have a child quickly after marriage.
The "look" of pregnancy as seen in this picture was symbolic of the desire to have children bless the union. It would be helpful to explain this to your class. I guarantee they will notice that she appears to be "with child".
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| The Wedding Portrait |
Note: The kids in your class may ask whether or not Mrs. Arnolfini is pregnant and they "had" to get married. She does look pregnant in the picture!
If you look closely at her hands, Mrs. Arnolfini has the folds of her heavy dress bunched in her hands, actually accentuating the pregnant look.
A child was looked on as a gift from God and couples hoped to have a child quickly after marriage.
The "look" of pregnancy as seen in this picture was symbolic of the desire to have children bless the union. It would be helpful to explain this to your class. I guarantee they will notice that she appears to be "with child".
Van Eyck
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| Wedding Portrait (The Arnolfini Marriage) |
pg 2 Shows the individual pictures around the mirror and the reflection of Van Eyck and his assistant in the mirror being witnesses
pg 6 religious paintings
pg 7/9 lifelike photo-like portraits
pg 20, 30, 31 other wedding portraits
pg 186 possibly a self-portrait
pg 187 his wife, Margaret Van Eyck
Van Eyck
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| Wedding Portrait (The Arnolfini Marriage) |
Fourth Grade Lesson Plan
Jan Van Eyck: he was born in 1385 and lived until 1434; so how old was he when he died - 49?
He is considered the "mystery artist" because not much is on record (or known about his life - especially the yearly years. Here are 10 facts about him:
1. He was the most famous Flemish (which is in Belgium) artist from the 15th century meaning the 1400's - a long time ago (show map).
2. He was credited with the greatest advances in art.
3. He experimented first with oil paints - he added vinegar to thin the paint, then egg yok to thicken the paint, then applied several layers of glaze to create a look of light and "near and far". He was the first painter to successfully use tempera paints. Tempera paints are made by mixing the powdered color with egg yolk to thicken it up, it is the oldest type of paint ever used.
4. He had a realistic style and paid major attention to detail.
5. He always took a very long time painting - did not rush through it.
6. He was a deeply religious man; most of the Flemish people were catholic so we can assume that he was of the Catholic religion.
7. He painted Giovanni Arnolfini and his bride (point to the painting) two years before his death, he died at the age of 49.
Mystery Sacks (Put the items in sacks and let the children draw them out; then explain)
Shoes: The shoes of both Giovanni and his bride were removed, this symbolizes that they were on holy ground and also comfort in the marriage.
Dog: Fidelity that they will be faithful companions to each other.
Sun Glasses: Sunlight in the window, it was a good day to be married.
Orange: A symbol of conquering death and a long life together.
Candle: That the eye of God is watching the marriage.
Mirror: The reflection of the scene in the mirror, Van Eyck and his assistant are serving as witnesses, you can see their reflections in the mirror.
Broom: A symbol of household duties.
Glove: They are hand in hand, their promises to each other and marriage vows.
Baby: She has the look of pregnancy, this represents a hop for the marriage to be blessed with children. They looked at a child as a gift from God and hoped to have children quickly after they were married. The look of "pregnancy" in this picture is symbolic of the desire to have children bless the union.
Pen: Jan Van Eyck signed above the mirror "Jan Van Eyck was here" with the date
Piece of fur: notice the differences in springy dog hair, carved wood, fur in robes.
Oil: He liked to paint with oil paints.
Statue: As an artist he also gilded (made attractive) statues for the duke
Shakespeare: he created stage scenes for plays for the duke
Watch: He took a long time to paint his paintings
Wedding Picture: he was known for his marriage portraits and this portrait was as good as any proof that they were married (they didn’t need a certificate)
Wood Plate: he made wood carved plates for banquets for the duke
Bird: He tended the birds for the duke
Family: he worked with his brother, Hubert and they took turns painting exactly alike
Flashlight: he was the first to figure out light in paintings
Magazine: He decorated rooms and tended the gardens for the duke
Can serve Mexican Wedding Cakes
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Van Eyck
WHO
WHY?
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| Wedding Portrait (The Arnolfini Marriage) |
4th Grade Lesson Plan
Who painted this scene?
Not a great deal of biographical detail is known about Jan van Eyck, who was born around 1390. He apparently had a brother, Hubert, with whom he collaborated for a time and who died in 1426. (Show on Map )The van Eyck family was from Maastricht, which is in the southern part of what is now Holland, and which was a powerful Roman Catholic city in Medieval times. Jan's career is well documented after 1422, when he began working as a court painter for John of Bavaria, who was the Count of Holland. From about 1430 until his death in 1441, Jan lived in Bruges, in what is now Belgium.
What
What kind of a painting would you say the van Eyck painting is? Is it a landscape, a still life, what else do you think it might be?
WHY?
It is called The Arnolfini Marriage
Where? Inside a home with just the bride and groom and their dog pictured.) Tell the class: Actually, there are more than just two people and a dog pictured here. Can anyone see how many people are really present here? (If no one volunteers, tell them to look carefully in the mirror and tell what they can see. They should be able to see 4 figures all together.) Tell the students that people think one of the figures in the mirror is the artist and another is a witness to the wedding. Ask them: Why would they need a witness? (to make the marriage official; they have no priest or rabbi to be the official person to marry them
How did he make this?
Color
Brush strokes
Paint: The van Eyck brothers were for a long time credited with discovering, or even inventing, the use of oil paints as opposed to the egg tempera generally in use up to that time. In fact, it seems that the van Eyck contribution was in developing a combination of linseed and nut oils plus a kind of varnish (made of various resins) as the medium in which to grind pigments, all of which made it possible to change radically the method of painting. Up until that time, artists would need to put a painting in the sun to allow each application of paint to dry before putting on the next. With the kind of oil-based pigment the van Eycks developed, painters were able to allow different layers of paint to show through one another, which provided a much richer play of light and shadow and a kind of jewel-like sheen to emerge. The details caught in the portrait of the Arnolfinis would not have been possible without these changes in the technique of using paint and color. These changes affected painters of the Italian Renaissance as well as the Flemish and German painters of the North.
Portraits were used to document a wedding, just as a witness would do nowadays.
WHEN
Ask the students where on their timeline they would place this painting. (Encourage as many responses and reasons as possible.) Tell them that actually this painting belongs in the period you have talked about as the early Renaissance. The painting was done in 1434. (Indicate on the timeline where that falls, or have someone in the class do it.
Color
Brush strokes
Paint: The van Eyck brothers were for a long time credited with discovering, or even inventing, the use of oil paints as opposed to the egg tempera generally in use up to that time. In fact, it seems that the van Eyck contribution was in developing a combination of linseed and nut oils plus a kind of varnish (made of various resins) as the medium in which to grind pigments, all of which made it possible to change radically the method of painting. Up until that time, artists would need to put a painting in the sun to allow each application of paint to dry before putting on the next. With the kind of oil-based pigment the van Eycks developed, painters were able to allow different layers of paint to show through one another, which provided a much richer play of light and shadow and a kind of jewel-like sheen to emerge. The details caught in the portrait of the Arnolfinis would not have been possible without these changes in the technique of using paint and color. These changes affected painters of the Italian Renaissance as well as the Flemish and German painters of the North.
Play Guesstures (use words from the blog entry "Van Eyck" Mystery Sacks)
Players: Guesstures is a team game, needing a minimum of four players, but having no maximum team size. Divide the players into two teams–try to be even if possible, but if one team has an additional player, it is okay. Each team cycles through its roster, with each player acting out four words on the Guesstures cards.
Guesstures Scenes and Cards:After you have divided your group into teams, each team will act out Guesstures cards in two Scenes (rounds). In Scene one, players draw from the blue card deck, while drawing from the red deck in Scene two.
Using the Mimer Timer: Decide which team will go first. Place the Mimer Timer on a flat surface in front of the first actor. Open the arm of the Mimer Timer, and push the switch on the right-hand side of the unit upwards. This prevents the timer from winding down before the round begins. Wind up the Mimer Timer by twisting the knob until it will not twist further.
Guesstures Scenes and Cards:After you have divided your group into teams, each team will act out Guesstures cards in two Scenes (rounds). In Scene one, players draw from the blue card deck, while drawing from the red deck in Scene two.
Using the Mimer Timer: Decide which team will go first. Place the Mimer Timer on a flat surface in front of the first actor. Open the arm of the Mimer Timer, and push the switch on the right-hand side of the unit upwards. This prevents the timer from winding down before the round begins. Wind up the Mimer Timer by twisting the knob until it will not twist further.
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