Mrs. Rosehill

Self Portrait

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century. As a young child, Picasso had a remarkable gift for drawing an painting. As he grew up and studied under different artists, his painting style changed many times. He was always trying new and different things. He brought a new sense of freedom to the art world.  He was an unpredictable character, dedicated to art and to discovering new forms of expression.

Some of his most memorable work is done in a cubist style. Cubism is one of th most important periods in the history of modern art, it is a style that got its name from the image being broken up into little cubes. It shocked people that Picasso started painting people and things that didn’t look the way they were suppose to look.

For his inspiration, Picasso drew heavily on his personal life, especially his relationships with his various lady friends. Study these next two portraits below.

Bust of a Woman with Hat, 1962 

Dora Maar Seated, 1937 

Please answer the following question by Friday, September 12, 2008.

1. What similar elements of design do you see in all three portraits. Do not just list, provide and explain what you actually see.
2. How does this particular style of painting make you feel? Explain why.

Lewis and Clark at Eagle Creek
Thomas Hart Benton

A Landscape is a painting of a place that depicts a view or vista of natural scenery. It is likely to include mountains, fields, woods, trees, shrubs and water elements. Sometimes there are people in the landscape, but they are only a small part of the overall scene.  Some artists travel far away to paint, but many paint places near where they live.

Lewis and Clark at Eagle Creek is a landscape created by American painter Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889- January 19, 1975.) Benton loved to show scenes of life in the United states, more specifically the Midwest. His work often showed the melancholy (sad), desperation and beauty of small-town life. He is recognized for his murals (large wall paintings). As a teenager he worked as a cartoonist for a newspaper. He was a draftsman in the Untied States Navy and a teacher at the Kansas City Art Institute.

After studying this painting please respond (by Friday, September 12) to the following questions:

1. How does the artist use color to show distance? How does the color make you feel? Can you guess what time of the day it is?
2. What words would describe the shapes uses by the artist in his painting? How do these shapes make you feel?
3. How would you move through the painting? Is there a clear path the artist wants you to follow?