We encourage Ambleside Online listmembers to follow this term calendar as a group for Artists, Composers, Plutarch, Shakespeare, Folksongs and Hymns. Staying on schedule together for these subjects is voluntary, but greatly enriches our studies as it enables us to share timely and topical resources and experiences on the list.
Just as a small point of interest, our policy of only using works of art that are available online for picture study is also the reason why we don't choose works of art for next term until nearly the end of the previous term- in the early days when we chose further ahead we found that we had to do the search work all over again at term time, because the websites we had chosen had moved their pictures around, so the links didn't quite work anymore.;-/
2007-2008 TERM 3 Jan Van Eyck (1395-1441) Flemish Northern Renaissance (composer Saint-Saens and Berlioz, Early Romantic)
The Crucifixion and The Last Judgement are two of Van Eyck's most important and well-known works; however, they're gruesome, so alternatives have been suggested along with them.
1. The Crucifixion, 1425-30 OR Birth of John the Baptist, 1422
2. The Last Judgement, 1425-30 OR Madonna with Child Reading, 1433
3. Adoration of the Lamb (From the Ghent Altarpiece, 1425-30)
4. The Annunciation
5. Arnolfini Wedding, 1434
6. Man in a Red Turban, 1433
2008-2009 TERM 1 (?) (composer Bach, Baroque)
2008-2009 TERM 2 (?) (composer Liszt, Romantic)
2008-2009 TERM 3 Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch Post-Impressionist (composers Mahler and Bruckner, Late Romantic)
2009-2010 TERM 1 Raphael Sanzio (1483-1520) Italian High Renaissance (composers Vaughan Williams and Elgar, 20th Century British)
2009-2010 TERM 2 John Singer-Sargent (1856-1925) American (composer Grieg and Sibelius, nationalists)
2009-2010 TERM 3 Claude Monet (1840-1926) French Impressionist (composer Ravel, Impressionist)
2010-2011 TERM 1 Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) Italian Renaissance (composer Beethoven, Classical/Romantic)
2010-2011 TERM 2 Caravaggio (1571-1610) Italian Baroque (composer Vivaldi, Baroque)
2010-2011 TERM 3 (?) (composer Chopin, Romantic)
2011-2012 TERM 1 Jean Honore Fragonard (1732-1806) French Rococo (composer Mozart, Early classical/Rococo)
2011-2012 TERM 2 (?) (composer Mendelssohn, Romantic)
2011-2012 TERM 3 Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) American Illustrator (composer Bartok and Hindermith)
2001-2002 TERM 1 Renoir and Rodin
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919)
1. La Grenouilliere, 1869
2. Les Grands Boulevards, 1875
3. La Loge, 1874
4. Girl with a Watering Can
Auguste Rodin (French, 1840-1917)
5. Monument to Balzac
6. The Thinker
2001-2002 TERM 2 Ruisdael and de Hootch and Jacob van Ruisdael (1628/9-1682)
1. Two Watermills and an Open Sluice near Singraven, 1650-52
2. View of Haarlem with Bleaching Grounds, c.1665
3. Windmill at Wijkbij Duursetede, c. 1670
Pieter de Hooch (Dutch, 1629-after 1684)
4. Courtyard of a House in Delft, 1658
5. Woman Peeling Apples, c. 1663
6. At the Linen Closet, 1665
2001-2002 TERM 3 Gauguin, Cezanne, Seurat
Paul Gauguin (France, 1848-1903)
1. The Vision After the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with an Angel), 1888
2. Matamoe, 1892
Paul Cezanne (France, 1839-1906)
3. Still Life with Compotier, 1879-1882
4. Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1885-87
Georges Seurat (France, 1859-1891)
5. Une Baignade, Asnieres (Bathers at Asnieres), 1883-84 (retouched 1887),
6. A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grand Jatte, 1884-86
2002-2003 TERM 1 Copley and Stuart (Lee-Anne Penny's Study Notes)
John Singleton Copley (American, 1738-1815)
1. Paul Revere, 1768-70 Image and commentary
2a. Watson and the Shark 1778 Here or here [Graphic depiction of a real event] OR The Copley Family, 1776-7 Larger image
3. The Red Cross Knight, 1793 (Lynn Bruce's study notes)
Gilbert Stuart (American, 1755 - 1828)
1. The Skater
(Portrait of William Grant) 1782 Larger image
2. Joseph Brant, 1786
3. George Washington (Lansdowne Portrait) Image with historical information
2002-2003 TERM 2 Degas and Manet
Edgar Degas (day-GAH) (French, 1834-1917)
1. The Dance Class, 1873-75; smaller
2. The Little Dancer (sculpture)(executed ca. 1880 or 1881; cast in 1922) Different angle
3. Race Horses, 1885
Edouard Manet (man-AY) (French, 1832-1883)
4. Concert in the Tuileries, 1860-62 Brief discussion of the painting at Artchive or here OR Luncheon on the Grass (contains nudity; included because it is arguably his most famous painting) More information here.
5. The Railway Discussion of this painting
6. Le Bar aux Folies-Bergère, or here 1881-82; Painting briefly discussed at the Artchives.
More for further study here.
2002-2003 TERM 3 The Hudson River School Artists: Cole, Church, Cropsey, & Durand, 19th Century, American Thomas Cole (1801-1848)
Read a 14-page article about Thomas Cole by David Quine, Adventures in Art, Cornerstone Curriculum
(first appeared in Home Schooling Today.) Used with permission. This is a pdf file and requires Acrobat Reader, a free download, to view.
1 and 2. Voyage of Life, 1842 (An allegorical series of 4 paintings, always exhibited together. Take 2-4 weeks with these, as you think best.)
3. View From Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm ("The Oxbow"), 1836
Frederick Edwin Church (1826-1900)
4. Niagara, 1857
5. Heart of the Andes, 1859
Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823-1900)
6. Autumn -- On The Hudson River, 1860
Further Interest:
Cole - Expulsion From the Garden of Eden, 1828
We recommend Cole's "Course of Empire" series (5 paintings) for older House of Education students.
David Quine's study of Cole, linked above, includes an in-depth study of this series of paintings on pages 5-14 of the pdf file.
Church -. Twilight in the Wilderness, 1860
Church -. Cotapaxi, 1862
Church - The Icebergs, 1861
Asher B. Durand - (1796-1886) Kindred Spirits, 1849 alternate view Oil on canvas; 46 X 36 in.The New York Public Library
2003-2004 TERM 1 (Rubens, Velasquez, sometimes spelled Velazquez)
Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640)
1. Daniel in the Lion's Den c. 1615
2. Return of the Peasants from the Fields, c. 1632-34
3. Rubens, His Wife Helena Fourment, and Their Son Peter Paul, c. 1639
For further interest:
a. Dance of the Villagers (sometimes titled A Peasant Dance), c. 1636 [Preview for parental discretion: one woman has a slipping neckline that partially reveals her breast (could be easily "edited" if you choose). We include it for its unusual energy and motion; a lively, fun painting.]
b. St. George and the Dragon, 1606-07 [Preview for parental discretion - a masterful painting of a story familiar to AO scholars, but may be too intense for sensitive children.]
c. Landscape with Rainbow, early 1630s
Diego Velasquez (Spain, 1599-1660)
There is useful commentary on Velazquez here, which discusses all of the paintings below:
1. Old Woman Frying Eggs, 1618
2. The Waterseller of Seville, 1623
3. Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), 1656
For further interest:
a. Joseph's Coat Brought to Jacob, 1650
b. Juan de Pareja, 1630 br>
I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth B. De Trevino -- You may wish to supplement your study of Velazquez with this book, which won a Newbery Medal in 1965.
2003-2004 TERM 2 (Corot, Courbet)
Camille Corot (French, 1796-1875)
1. The Bridge at Nantes or here (Click on thumbnail painting for an exploded view.), 1827
2. Chartres Cathedral, 1830 (retouched 1872)
3. A View Near Volterra or here, 1838
4. The Letter, approx. 1865,
Gustave Courbet (French, 1819-1877)
5. The Stonebreakers, here or here 1849
6. Sleeping Spinner, 1853
2003-2004 TERM 3 Jacques-Louis David (French, 1748-1825) (pronounced ZHOCK lu-WEE dah-VEED)
1. Belisarius, 1781 Information about the painting
2. Oath of the Horatii,
1784 Information about the painting
3. Death of Socrates,
1787 Information about the painting
4. Portrait of Levoisier
and His Wife, 1788 Explanation of the picture
5. Napoleon Crossing the Alps (or the "St. Bernard"), 1800
6. The Coronation of Napoleon and Josephine in Notre Dame, 1806 and 1807
Additional Interest (Optional)
A. Napoleon In His Study, 1812 or larger image here: The National Gallery of Art has an online "NGA Kids" activity to go with this painting.
B. Students who have read The Iliad will find this painting of interest: Andromache Mourning Hector, 1783
C. Students who studied Plutarch's Brutus will find this painting of interest: The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons, 1789 or here
D. David's most well-known painting is probably too dark for most younger students, but HEO students may opt to study it: The Death of Marat, 1793 or here
2004-2005 TERM 1 Mary Cassatt (American Impressionist, 1844-1926 Composer Dvorak, late Romantic)
1. Woman in Black at the Opera, 1880
2. Woman and Child Driving,1881
3. Children on the Shore, also here
4. The Child's Bath, 1893
5. The Boating Party, also here 1893/1894
6. Young
Mother Sewing, 1900
Additional Interest: Breakfast in Bed, ( scroll down to view this painting ) 1894
And a special treat just for the moms . . . a luscious Cassatt you might never see otherwise because it's privately owned: Mother Berthe Holding Her Baby, 1900
2004-2005 TERM 2 Giotto di Bondone, 1267-1337, Italian, Renaissance (music: Medieval)
The Giotto works for this term are all portions of larger frescos in chapels, making it difficult to provide exact dimensions. Most date from the early 1300's, and are painted on walls of chapels in Italy.
1. Resurrection of Lazarus
2. Birth of Jesus
3. Jesus washes the feet of the apostles
4. The Allegory of Justice
5. The Nativity and adoration of the shepherds (Lovely close-up detail)
6. St. Francis feeding the birds
Additional Interest: Francis Gives His Cloak to a Poor Man and Madonna Enthroned (or here)
We encourage AO parents to show your students large pictures of whole frescos to give a sense of the scope, scale and presentation of these works. An overview of the Scrovegni Chapel at Padua, Italy.
Giotto's fresco contrasting personifications of the Vices and Virtuesoffers much fodder for observation and discussion. These are at Scrovegni Chapel. Be sure to click on the thumbnail images for a larger view.
Closeup of the Virtues and Close up of the Vices
You may also wish to read more about St. Francis during this term. His story in Trial and Triumph is scheduled for AO Year 2 students.
For further information about Giotto, see:
http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/giotto/giotto_bio.htm
http://home.wanadoo.nl/candida_martinelli/knights_of_art_giotto.htm
http://www.artinvest2000.com/giotto_english.htm
http://ww\w.ovationtv.com/artszone/programs/frescoes/cimabueandgiotto.html
http://www.artchive.com/artchive/G/giotto.html
http://www.christusrex.org/www1/francis/
2004-2005 TERM 3 (Winslow Homer American, 1836-1910) (composer Copland, Gershwin American)
1. Home, Sweet Home,1863, Oil on canvas, 54.6 x 41.9 cm (21 1/2 x 16 1/2 in.) National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
2. Prisoners from the Front, 1866, Oil on canvas; 24 x 38 in. (61 x 96.5 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
3. Snap the Whip, 1872, Oil on canvas, 22 1/4" x 36 1/2" (56.5 x 92.7 cm) The Butler Institute of Art, Youngstown, Ohio
4. Boys in a Pasture,1874, Oil on canvas, 40.32 x 58.1 cm (15 7/8 x 22 7/8 in.) Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
5. Breezing Up,1873-1876, Oil on canvas, 61.5 x 97 cm (24 3/16 x 38 3/16 in.) National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
6. The Gulf Stream, (also here), 1899, Oil on canvas, 28 1/8 x 49 1/8 in. (71.4 x 124.8 cm) Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
2005-2006 TERM 1 Michelangelo Buonarroti (Italian, 1475-1564) (composer Beethoven classical/Romantic)
This site has a complete history of his life, links to his works, and even a 5 minute video on how IBM scientists did a study of the Florentine Pieta.
Suggested book resources:
Michelangelo by Diane Stanley
Michelangelo and the Renaissance, by David Spence. (Note - one page has something really unsuitable mentioned on it.)
1. Sistine Chapel Ceiling (some scenes contain nudity) This site includes a sonnet Michelangelo wrote about painting the ceiling.
2. Creation of Man from the Sistine Chapel
3. The Libyan Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel
4. Pieta (Madonna and Child) - sculpture
5. Doni Tondo
(The Holy Family) c.1504-1506. Oil on panel. Diameter 120 cm. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy
6. David (nudity) - sculpture (front; back; detail of just the head) OR Moses - sculpture
2005-2006 TERM 2 Jan Vermeer (1632-1675) (composer Purcell, Baroque)
Biography and Thumbnails of Vermeer's complete collection of works
1. The Milkmaid
2. Woman in Blue Reading a Letter
3. Woman Holding a Balance
4. Art of Painting
5. The Geographer
6. The Alleghory of Faith
2005-2006 TERM 3 John William Waterhouse (1849-1917) (composer Johann Strauss, Jr.)
1. A Sick Child brought into the Temple of Aesculapius or here
2. The Lady of Shalott or here
3. The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius or here
4. La Belle Dame Sans Merci or here
5. Jason and Medea
6. Penelope and the Suitors or here
2006-2007 TERM 1 Pieter Breugel the Elder (1525-1569; Flemish Northern Renaissance) How to pronounce Bruegel
1. Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (c.1554-55)
2. Children's Games (1560) Details and info.
3. Tower of Babel (1563)
4. Landscape
with the Parable of the Sower (1557) also here.
5. Hunters in the Snow (1565)
6. Peasant Wedding (c. 1568)
Special thanks to Jenny (spicejenmom) for her helpful suggestions for this term's art selections.
2006-2007 TERM 2 JMW Turner (1775-1851) English Landscape (composer Schumann, Early Romantic)
Short biography
1. Rain, Steam and Speed
2. Fighting Temeraire, with commentary by Ruskin; This work was chosen as the best painting in Britain by popular vote at some radio program.
3. The Boys Catching Crabs
4. Rome from the Vatican (painters seen with Rome as backdrop)
5. Fisherman at Sea
6. The Fifth Plague of Egypt
Boys might enjoy seeing this: Sunrise with Sea Monsters
Turner was John Ruskin's favorite artist. Here's some of Ruskin's writing about Turner; there are more:
2006-2007 TERM 3 Titian (1485-1576) Italian High Renaissance (composers Wagner and Offenbach, German Romantic)
"Titian was one of the giants of Renaissance art, whose revolutionary handling of surface and colour transformed the language of painting." ( from AbsoluteArts )
Wikipedia Entry and Biography
100 paintings
1. The Descent of the Holy Ghost. c.1545
2. The Supper at Emmaus. c.1535
3. Madonna and Child with St. Catherine and a Rabbit. 1530
4. Portrait of Clarissa Strozzi. 1542
5. Portrait of Emperor Charles V at Muhlberg. 1548
6. The Three Ages of Man c. 1513
Extra interest: Assumption
of the Virgin (Assunta). 1516-1518 (details)
Possible future additions:
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) French Neoclassical
Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) Hudson River School
Camille Pisarro (1830-1903) French Impressionist
Georges Seurat (1859-1891) Neoimpressionism/Pointillism
Adolphe William Bouguereau (1825-1905) French Academic
Fra Angelico, Lippi & Masaccio
John William Waterhouse (1849-1917)
dropped:
Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) Northern Renaissance
John Constable (1776-1837) English landscape
Jean-Louis-Andre Gericault (1791-1824) French Romantic
Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) French Romantic
Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) Florentine Renaissance
Wendi's notes on Picture Study With Charlotte Mason
Choose your artist if at all possible by first looking at the artists who worked during the time period you are studying for history. Once you have a list of artists to choose from, apply these principles to the artworks and narrow your selection to abut six works by a single artist.
In selecting our pictures, we should keep these things in mind (these are either quotes from or adapted from Charlotte Mason's works):
The pictures should have a refining, elevating influence.
They should express great ideas, and this is more important than the technique.
The great ideas our art prints express might include "the great human relationships, relationships of love and service, of authority and obedience, of reverence and pity and neighbourly kindness; relationships to kin and friend and neighbour, to `cause' and country and kind, to the past and the present."
Our art prints ought to put "our children in touch with the great thoughts by which the world has been educated in the past, and to keep . . . . them in the right attitude towards the great ideas of the present " - And bring us into the "world of beauty created for us by those whose Beauty Sense enables them not only to see and take joy in all the Beauty there is, but whose souls become so filled with the Beauty they gather through eye and ear that they produce for us new forms of Beauty"
Do our choices expose the children to those works of art which seek to "interpret to us some of the meanings of life?" " . . . .FraAngelico will tell us of the beauty of holiness, that Giotto will confide his interpretation of the meaning of life, that Millet will tell us of the simplicity and dignity that belong to labour on the soil, that Rembrandt will show us the sweetness of humanity in many a commonplace countenance.
The artist-- "Reaching, that heaven might so replenish him, Above and through his art,"--has indispensable lessons to give us . . . the outward and visible signi s of less moment than the inward and spiritual grace."--Technique, no matter how brilliant, is not a substitute for expression of beauty, or one of those 'meanings of life' interpretations.
Let us choose pictures using this as a guideline- "Nothing can be a work of art which is not useful, that is to say, which does not minister to the body when well under the command of the mind, or which does not amuse, soothe, or elevate the mind in a healthy state." - CM quoting William Morris
The works of art we choose should represent 'master ideas,' which the painter 'works out, not in a single piece, but here a little and there a little, in a series of studies.' The artist is "a teacher,who is to have a refining, elevating effect upon our coarser nature"
Our prints can also be chosen to help the children develop a love for the commonplace beauty of every day things - "For it is true as Browning told us, - For, don't you mark, we're made so that we love First when we see them painted, things we have passed Perhaps a hundred times nor cared to see." ...we learn to see things when we see them painted."
Our art prints should help our children develop an affinity for, an attraction to, the beautiful, the lovely, the pure, the refining - because "education is concerned to teach him what pictures to delight in."
To go to the source, and you should go to the source, please see Charlotte Mason's own books, in particular:
Vol 1 pg 131
Vol 2 pg 262
Vol 3 pg 81, 160
Vol 4 pg 41, 103
Vol 5 pg 1, 233-235, 314-315
Vol 6 pg 59, 213-214
