An eye for art: focusing on great artists and their work

187 Pages·2013·37.304 MB·English

by  National Gallery of Art (É.-U.)

$19.95 (CAN $21.95)
40
an eye for art
activities!
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, maintains one Focusing on Great Artists
of the world’s most renowned collections of American and and Their Work
European masterpieces ranging from the thirteenth century to
a
the present. An important component of the National Gallery
n
of Art is its educational mission. An Eye for Art was written

and compiled by the museum’s educators and is a collective e
y an eye for art
effort of the Education Division at the National Gallery of Art.
e

f
o
r
Focusing on Great Artists
a
r and Their Work
t
“This is a breath of fresh air for all ages and a gift to anyone
Introduce children ages 7 and up to more than 50 great artists and
who visits museums. It is a reminder to enjoy . . . and to note their work with this lively family-oriented art resource. This
treasure trove from the National Gallery of Art features works
the surprises and secrets that linger in all great art. An Eye
of art by, among others, Raphael, Rembrandt, Georgia O’Keeffe,
for Art invites us all to make art an essential pleasure.“
Henri Matisse, Chuck Close, Jacob Lawrence, Pablo Picasso,
and Alexander Calder, representing a wide array of artistic styles
— Blue Balliett, author of Chasing Vermeer
and techniques. Each chapter is focused on a theme ranging
from studying nature and observing everyday life to breaking
traditions and telling stories and includes works from a broad
spectrum of artists, art mediums, nationalities, and time peri-
ods. Forty fun activities throughout will inspire the artist and
art appreciator in every child. Written by museum educators
with decades of hands-on experience helping children connect
with art and the lives of artists, the projects include molding
a clay fi gure inspired by Edgar Degas’s sculptures; drawing an
N
a
tio object from touch alone, inspired by Joan Miró’s experience
n
al G as an art student; painting a double-sided portrait refl ecting
a
lle physical traits and personality traits, inspired by Leonardo da
r
y o Vinci’s Ginevra de’ Benci; and creating a story based on a Mary
Produced by the National Gallery of Art, Washington f
A Cassatt painting. Educators, homeschoolers, and families alike
r
www.nga.gov t
will fi nd their creativity sparked by this beautiful gathering of
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated art and information from the nation’s stellar collection.
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610
Presented by the
Printed in Italy National Gallery of Art Ages 7 and up
$19.95 (CAN $21.95)
40
an eye for art
activities!
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, maintains one Focusing on Great Artists
of the world’s most renowned collections of American and and Their Work
European masterpieces ranging from the thirteenth century to
a
the present. An important component of the National Gallery
n
of Art is its educational mission. An Eye for Art was written

and compiled by the museum’s educators and is a collective e
y an eye for art
effort of the Education Division at the National Gallery of Art.
e

f
o
r
Focusing on Great Artists
a
r and Their Work
t
“This is a breath of fresh air for all ages and a gift to anyone
Introduce children ages 7 and up to more than 50 great artists and
who visits museums. It is a reminder to enjoy . . . and to note their work with this lively family-oriented art resource. This
treasure trove from the National Gallery of Art features works
the surprises and secrets that linger in all great art. An Eye
of art by, among others, Raphael, Rembrandt, Georgia O’Keeffe,
for Art invites us all to make art an essential pleasure.“
Henri Matisse, Chuck Close, Jacob Lawrence, Pablo Picasso,
and Alexander Calder, representing a wide array of artistic styles
— Blue Balliett, author of Chasing Vermeer
and techniques. Each chapter is focused on a theme ranging
from studying nature and observing everyday life to breaking
traditions and telling stories and includes works from a broad
spectrum of artists, art mediums, nationalities, and time peri-
ods. Forty fun activities throughout will inspire the artist and
art appreciator in every child. Written by museum educators
with decades of hands-on experience helping children connect
with art and the lives of artists, the projects include molding
a clay fi gure inspired by Edgar Degas’s sculptures; drawing an
N
a
tio object from touch alone, inspired by Joan Miró’s experience
n
al G as an art student; painting a double-sided portrait refl ecting
a
lle physical traits and personality traits, inspired by Leonardo da
r
y o Vinci’s Ginevra de’ Benci; and creating a story based on a Mary
Produced by the National Gallery of Art, Washington f
A Cassatt painting. Educators, homeschoolers, and families alike
r
www.nga.gov t
will fi nd their creativity sparked by this beautiful gathering of
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated art and information from the nation’s stellar collection.
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60610
Presented by the
Printed in Italy National Gallery of Art Ages 7 and up
an eye for art

an eye for art
Focusing on Great Artists
and Their Work
Presented by the
National Gallery of Art
Copyright © 2013 Board of Trustees, Display images (all details) First edition published by
National Gallery of Art. All rights reserved. Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
front cover (clockwise from top):
This book may not be reproduced in 814 North Franklin Street
Jacob Lawrence, p. 92; Vincent van Gogh,
whole or in part (beyond that copying Chicago, Illinois 60610
p. 60; André Derain, p. 43; Johannes
permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of
Vermeer, p. 128 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-
the U.S. Copyright Law, and except by
Publication Data
reviewers from the public press), without frontispiece: Mary Cassatt, pp. 108 – 109
written permission from the publishers. National Gallery of Art (U.S.)
p. vi: George Bellows, p. 47
Produced by the Publishing Office, [Essays. Selections]
back cover (clockwise from top left): Winslow
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Homer, p. 113; Chuck Close, p. 65; Wayne An eye for art : focusing on great artists
Judy Metro, editor in chief Thiebaud, p. 117; John Constable, p. 4 and their work. — First edition.
Chris Vogel, deputy publisher and
pages cm
production manager
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 978-1-61374-897-8 (pbk.)
Designed by Wendy Schleicher and
Rio DeNaro. Edited by Nancy Eickel 1. Art appreciation — Juvenile literature.
with assistance by Lisa Wainwright. 2. National Gallery of Art
Production assistance by Mariah Shay.
(U.S.) I. Title.
Typeset in Berkeley Oldstyle and Fago.
N7477.N38 2013
Printed on Gardamatt by Gruppo Editoriale
Zanardi, Padova, Italy. 708.153 — dc23 2013009403
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the Library of Congress and the
British Library.
contents
Preface
1 Studying Nature / 2
John Constable / Martin Johnson Heade / Claude Monet
Georgia O’Keeffe / Andy Goldsworthy
2 Exploring Places / 24
Rembrandt van Rijn / Canaletto / Jasper Francis Cropsey
Thomas Moran / Henri Matisse / André Derain / George Bellows
3 Examining Portraits / 50
Leonardo da Vinci / Élisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun
Vincent van Gogh / Paul Gauguin / Chuck Close
4 Telling Stories / 68
Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi / Rogier van der Weyden
Raphael / Peter Paul Rubens / John Singleton Copley
Augustus Saint-Gaudens / Jacob Lawrence
5 Observing Everyday Life / 94
Jan Steen / Osias Beert the Elder / Willem Claesz Heda / Édouard Manet
Mary Cassatt / Winslow Homer / Wayne Thiebaud
6 Questioning Traditions / 120
Giuseppe Arcimboldo / Johannes Vermeer / Joseph Mallord William Turner
Pablo Picasso / Joan Miró / Diego Rivera / Romare Bearden
Jackson Pollock / Roy Lichtenstein
7 Playing with Space / 158
Edgar Degas / Alexander Calder / Dan Flavin / Martin Puryear
Timeline of Artists / 176
Acknowledgments / 177

preface
For the past eleven years the National Gallery of
Art has issued a family quarterly that included an
“Inside Scoop” featuring artists and works from
the museum. This book is a collection of those
“Scoops” — updated, revised, and expanded. The
book is grouped around seven general themes
and highlights works from different time periods
to encourage comparisons among them. We hope
the book will inspire children to explore and
develop “an eye for art.”
We are grateful to the MSST Foundation for its
generosity in making this publication possible
and especially to Nancy Furlotti for her personal
enthusiasm for the Gallery’s mission to engage
family audiences.
Lynn Pearson Russell
Head, Division of Education
chapter one
studying nature
Slowing down to look closely at nature is an art. By
examining the colors and shapes of birds or flowers,
observing the effects of light at different moments, or
noticing the ways a landscape can change over time,
artists find inspiration in the natural world. This chapter
introduces artists who are captivated by nature and
study it closely. John Constable depicted his native
English countryside with fresh attention to atmosphere.
Martin Johnson Heade and John James Audubon traveled
widely to document birds in their natural habitats.
Claude Monet cultivated his private gardens as subjects
to contemplate, painting them in changing seasons.
Georgia O’Keeffe found beautiful abstractions in the
details of a single flower. Andy Goldsworthy uses natural
materials to create sculptures that often become part
of nature. As you study the different artists in this
chapter, think about how artists help us see the natural
world in new ways.