The Illustrated Page: Medieval Manuscripts to New Media

Guernica

1. What do you notice about the colors that Picasso uses in the composition? Picasso entertained the idea of adding color to the project. He included a red teardrop sprouting from a crying woman’s eye. How would that might have changed things?

2. Picasso uses Cubism in the painting. What do you notice about that style of painting in Guernica?

3. List all of the different figures and things that you can identify in the painting. What about you notice about each?

4. Do you think any of the figures or things that you see act as symbols? If so, what do you think they symbolize? When asked about symbols, Picasso said, “This bull is a bull and this horse is a horse,” “If you give a meaning to certain things in my paintings it may be very true, but it is not my idea to give this meaning. What ideas and conclusions you have got I obtained too, but instinctively, unconsciously. I make the painting for the painting. I paint the objects for what they are.” (54)

5. Do you think that knowing that the mural was going to be displayed at the world’s fair influence his artistic decisions?

Show YouTube video about Guernica-See Appendix for link

6. Do you think the work of Picasso is effective to illustrate the event of Guernica? Do you think this works or would a more realistic way would have been better?

7. Is Guernica famous because it is a great painting, or is it widely considered a great painting simply because it is so famous? (55)

Detroit Industrial

1. What did you notice about the workers? Are they all the same throughout the composition?

Watch the YouTube video about the Assembly Line. See Appendix

2.  Based on the short video, imagine you were one of the workers. How would you feel doing the same job over-and-over each day?

3.  What are some symbols that you notice? What do you think they mean?

4.  How is the mural organized? Does it tell a story? If so, what is the story? Is there more than one story

5.  What do you think about the sign that they hung near the mural? Do you think that sign would still be hung today? (It remains)

6.  How do you think Rivera would feel knowing that many of the jobs that were once held by people are now done by machines?

7.  What do you think the message of the mural is?

The Problem We All Live With

1. What colors does Rockwell use? What do you think about them?


2. The heads of the white guards are not in the picture. Why do you think Rockwell made that choice?


3. Rockwell included a heart with the letters ‘MP + NR’ (Rockwell and his wife’s initials) in the painting. His granddaughter said it was to counterbalance the hate depicted in the scene.” Do you think this was an appropriate choice to make?


4. Rockwell makes a strong diction choice in the painting. What is the connotation of it? Describe your thoughts.


5. Based on the video clip, what can you say about Ruby and her experiences? (See Appendix for links). How does it match up with what you see in the painting?


6. This painting was displayed in the White House by President Obama. What do you think about the decision to display it outside of the president’s office for several months?


7. Do you think that Ruby is powerful or powerless in the painting?


8. What do you think the message or theme of the piece is? Is that message still relevant or important today?

George Washington Crossing the Delaware

1. What do you notice about George Washington? Why is this important?

Show YouTube video about George Washington on the night of the crossing-See Appendix for link

2. What did you learn from the video? How does it add to your understanding of the painting?

3. The painting changes some things from what actually happened the night of the crossing. For example, the crossing was at night under the guise of poor weather conditions. This differs from daylight that is included in the painting. Washington also didn’t lead the charge, he and 40 others crossed the Delaware led by William Blackler, “a salty, savvy Massachusetts fisherman who most certainly would never have permitted Washington, rank be damned, to stand during so treacherous a crossing.” Why do you think the artist makes these changes? (56)

4. In the painting, who is in the boat with Washington? Count and describe them. Why do you think they are included?

5. Are there any symbols included in the painting? If so, what do you think they represent?

6. A poet, Frank O’Hara, wrote the following lines of poetry about the painting:

“Now that our hero has come back to us/ in his white pants and we know his nose/ trembling like a flag under fire/we see the calm cold river is supporting/ our forces, the beautiful history.” (57)

What do you think about these lines? Which is probably more accurate-the lines of poetry or the painting? Which do you think that Americans prefer to associate with Washington’s leadership? Why