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artemisia gentileschi

May 13, 2025 2 Comments

The Best Examples of Emphasis in Art

Inside: A curated collection of artworks that exemplify emphasis in art—showcasing how artists draw attention to focal points through contrast, placement, color, and more. This resource is part of our comprehensive Elements and Principles of Art series, designed to support and inspire your art lessons.

Emphasis is a powerful principle that guides the viewer’s eye to the most important parts of an artwork. Whether it’s a bold color contrast, strategic placement, or unique texture, artists use emphasis to tell a story and convey meaning.

In this post, you’ll find a variety of artworks demonstrating different techniques of emphasis, perfect for sparking discussion and analysis in your classroom.

👉 Want a printable to accompany these examples? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below. Just click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

It was hard to break this one down to categories, because chances are if the artwork shows emphasis well, it usually used more than one element or principle to do so. So, I have put the elements and principles of art that the artist used to show emphasis in art in parenthesis next to the artwork.

Explore the full Elements of Art series for more resources and examples to enrich your curriculum.

For ready-to-use classroom activities, check out our printable art interpretation worksheets.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack


This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Emphasis in Art Examples

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939 (Line, Shape)
  • Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004 (Line, Movement)
  • Francisco Goya, The Shootings of May Third 1808, 1814 (Value, Color, Line)
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767 (Complementary Color, Movement)
  • Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1494-99 (Balance, Line, Space)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978 (Color, Line, Shape, Light)
  • Albert Bierstadt, Sunrise on the Matterhorn, after 1875 (Size, Space, Light, Contrast)
  • Georges de La Tour, St. Joseph the Carpenter, c. 1645 (Contrast, Value, Light)
  • Andrew Wyeth, Christina’s World, 1948 (Space)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • George C. Ault, Sullivan Street, Abstraction, 1924 (Contrast, Shape, Line, Color, Light)
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642 (Line, Value, Movement)
  • Edgar Degas, The Star, ca. 1878 (Shape, Balance, Line, Movement)
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Circles, Varied (Shape, Color, Value)
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis in Art - The Elements and Principles of Art Series
  • Ancient Egypt, Nebamun Hunting in the Marshes, ca. 1350 B.C.E. (Scale/Size, Line)
  • Fra Bartolommeo, Savonarola, 16th century (Light, Contrast)
  • Jean Arp, Enak’s Tears (Terrestrial Forms), 1917 (Color, Shape)
  • Caravaggio, The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, 1601-02 (Composition, Line, Contrast, Light, Color)
  • Alexander Calder, Saucers Skirting a Planet, 1968 (Shape, Color)
  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, c.1620 (Line, Movement, Contrast, Value)
  • Gertrude Käsebier, Portrait of Alfred Steiglitz, 1902 (Texture, Value)
  • René Magritte, The Art of Living, 1967 (Shape, Space)

💡 Looking for more comprehensive art appreciation resources?

Join the Curated Connections Library to access a wealth of lessons, activities, and professional development materials tailored for art educators.
👉 Learn more here

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now

There you have it! The best emphasis in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art examples? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Photo Credits:

  • Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne — Int3gr4te
  • Borofsky’s Walking to the Sky — doreen

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: albert bierstadt, alexander calder, andrew wyeth, andy goldsworthy, artemisia gentileschi, caravaggio, edgar degas, fra bartolommeo, francisco goya, george ault, georges de la tour, gertrude käsebier, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, jean arp, jean-honore fragonard, jonathan borofsky, leonardo da vinci, michelangelo, rembrandt, rene magritte, richard anuszkiewicz

 

May 8, 2025 8 Comments

Artworks that Show Line

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself needing to teach a lesson on one of the elements and principles of art, but it takes a bit of digging to find good examples of art that teach that particular element. To help those in that situation, I have created an elements and principles series that includes lists of example artworks you can use in your elements and principles of art lessons.

Finding the right artwork to teach the elements of art can take time. That’s why I created this Elements & Principles series—to help you skip the endless search and get straight to powerful, conversation-starting artworks.

Below, you’ll find artworks that clearly demonstrate the many types of line—perfect for your next lesson or student project.

👉 Want a printable to go with it? Grab the free Elements & Principles Pack below. Click the yellow “Download” button.

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Download

Free Resource!

* Elements & Principles Printable Pack *

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Inside: A curated list of artworks that show the different types of line in art—including implied lines, gesture lines, contour lines, expressive lines, and more. 

👉 This post is part of the Elements of Art series—explore them all to build a complete foundation for your classroom.

Download the Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative.

Examples of Types of Line in Art

The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Types of Line in Art - General

Artworks that Show Line, General

  • Richard Long, A Line Made by Walking, 1967
  • Richard Long, Cornish Slate Line, 1990
  • Frank Stella, Jarama II, 1982
  • Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstroke, 1965
  • Charles Sheeler, Classic Landscape, 1931
  • Joan Miró, The Farm, 1921–1922
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Two Studies Of A Bird Of Paradise, 1630
  • John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo, 1882
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Horizontal and Vertical Lines in Art

Horizontal and Vertical Lines in Art

  • Stonehenge, ca. 2600-2000 B.C.E.
  • Ancient Greece, The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C.E.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-7
  • Piet Mondrian, Composition in Red, Blue, and Yellow, 1937-42
  • Byzantine, Justinian and his Attendants, Basilica di San Vitale, 547 C.E
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Diagonal Lines in Art

Diagonal Lines in Artworks

  • Edgar Degas, Blue Dancers, c. 1899
  • Gustave Caillebotte, Le Pont de L’Europe, 1881-1882
  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Slaying Holofernes, 1614–20
  • Franz Marc, Fate of the Animals, 1913
  • Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, The Crucifixion of Saint Peter, 1600-1601
  • Francisco Goya, The Forge, c. 1817
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Contour Lines and Outlines

Contour Lines and/or Outlines

  • Leonardo da Vinci, Self-Portrait, c. 1512
  • Paul Signac, Still Life with Pitcher, 1919
  • Carl Krull, Olmec Drawings and Scroll Drawings
  • Yoruba artist, Shrine Head, 12th-14th century
  • Andy Warhol, Red Lenin, 1987
  • Amedeo Modigliani, Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz, 1916

Gesture Lines, Lines that Show Movement

  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767
  • Utagawa Hiroshige, The Whirlpools of Awa: Naruto Rapids, ca. 1853
  • Giacomo Balla, Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash (Leash in Motion), 1912
  • Natalia Goncharova, The Cyclist, 1913
  • Henri Matisse, Dance (I), 1909
  • Marino Marini, Miracle (Miracolo), 1952
  • Jacob Lawrence, Harriet Tubman Series, No. 4, 1939-40
  • Keith Haring, Untitled, 1985

Want to explore how line leads the eye and creates movement in art? Check out these rhythm in art examples to see visual flow in action.

Lines that Help Guide The Viewer’s Eye through the Picture and/or Implied Lines

  • Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911
  • Georges de La Tour, The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs, late 1620s
  • Frederic Remington, Dash for the Timber, 1889
  • Suzanne Caporael, Seeing Things: Rain, 1990
  • Fernando Botero, The Musicians, 1991
  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939

Lines that Show Feeling/Emotion, Expressive Lines

  • Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
  • Mark Di Suvero, Are Years What? (for Marianne Moore), 1967
  • Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled, 1984
  • Egon Schiele, Portrait of Paris von Gütersloh, 1918
  • Odilon Redon, Death: “My irony surpasses all others!”, 1889
  • Jackson Pollock, Lavender Mist No. 1, 1950
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Repetition and Pattern

Repetition of Line, Pattern Using Line, Decorative Line

  • Henri Matisse, Purple Robe and Anemones, 1937
  • Berenice Abbott, El, Second and Third Avenue Lines from the portfolio Retrospective, 1982
  • Aubrey Beardsley, The Peacock Skirt, 1893
  • Albrecht Dürer, The Rhinoceros, 1515
  • Benin, Memorial head, 1550-1650
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978
The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks the Show Line - Lines in Architecture

Lines in Architecture

  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NYC
  • Frank O. Gehry, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
  • Stonehenge, ca. 2600-2000 B.C.E.
  • Ancient Greece, The Parthenon, 447-438 B.C.E.
  • Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater, 1936-1937

Lines in Sculpture

  • Kenneth Snelson, Needle Tower, 1968
  • Songye, Mask (kifwebe), 19th century AD
  • Mark Di Suvero, Are Years What? (for Marianne Moore), 1967
  • Benin, Memorial head, 1550-1650
  • Yoruba artist, Shrine Head, 12th-14th century
  • Marino Marini, Miracle (Miracolo), 1952

Lines that Show Texture and/or Shading

  • Vincent van Gogh, Garden of Flowers, 1888
  • Rembrandt Van Rijn, The Three Crosses, 1653
  • Käthe Kollwitz, Self Portrait, 1921

Lines that Show Space and/or Linear Perspective

  • Gustave Caillebotte, The Floor Scrapers, 1875
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498
  • Pietro Perugino, Christ Giving the Keys to St. Peter, 1481–1482
  • Dorothea Lange, The Road West, 1938

Lines the Show Emphasis

  • Grant Wood, Parson Weems’ Fable, 1939
  • Francisco Goya, Third of May, 1808
  • Jonathan Borofsky, Walking to the Sky, 2004
  • Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper, 1494-99
  • Richard Anuszkiewicz, Deep Magenta Square, 1978
  • Rembrandt van Rijn, Militia Company of District II under the Command of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, known as the ‘Night Watch’, 1642
  • See more artworks that show emphasis.

💡 Want more done-for-you lessons like this?

The Curated Connections Library gives you full access to hundreds of art appreciation resources, trainings, and classroom-ready materials.
👉 Click here to learn more.

Elements and Principles Teaching Bundle

This extraordinary bundle includes the best resources for teaching each of the elements and principles—37 worksheets/handouts, 15 lessons (with accompanying PowerPoints and Handouts), 3 ready-to-go art analysis activities, 3 art analysis videos, and 13 elements and principle PDF articles.

Buy Now


There you have it! The best types of line in art examples for your elements and principles of art lessons. Want more elements and principles of art teacher resources? Check out the below posts.

The Art Curator for Kids -Example Artworks that Show Space - The Elements and Principles of Art Series-300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Line - The Elements and Principles of Art - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Example Artworks that Show Emphasis - The Elements and Principles of Art SeriesElements and Principles of Art - Artworks that Show Proportion in art and ScaleThe Art Curator for Kids - Elements and Principles of Art Series - Artworks that Show Shape - 300The Art Curator for Kids - Why I Hate the Elements and Principles But Teach Them Anyway - 300The Art Curator for Kids - How Artists Depict Space - Masterpiece Monday - John Sloan , South Beach Bathers, 1907-1908, Art Lessons for Kids - Elements of Art Lessons

Photo Credits:

  • Stonehenge, Diego Delso
  • Parthenon, Steve Swayne
  • Laocoön and His Sons, LivioAndronico
  • Needle Tower, Onderwijsgek

Filed Under: Elements and Principles of Art
Tagged With: albrecht dürer, amedeo modigliani, andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, aubrey beardsley, basquiat, caravaggio, carl krull, charles sheeler, dorothea lange, edgar degas, egon schiele, emile nolde, fernando botero, francisco goya, frank gehry, frank lloyd wright, frank stella, franz marc, frederic remington, georges de la tour, giacomo balla, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, gustave caillebotte, henri matisse, jackson pollock, jacob lawrence, jean-honore fragonard, joan miro, john singer sargent, jonathan borofsky, kathe kollwitz, keith haring, kenneth snelson, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, marino marini, mark di suvero, natalia goncharova, odilon redon, paul signac, piet mondrian, pietro perugino, rembrandt, richard long, roy lichtenstein, sandro botticelli, suzanne caporael, théodore géricault, utagawa hiroshige, vincent van gogh

 

October 24, 2018 21 Comments

Judith and Holofernes Paintings: A Compare and Contrast Art Lesson

Inside: Art lesson ideas and activities for comparing two Baroque Judith and Holofernes paintings. Which was made by a man and which was painted by a woman?

Judith and Holofernes

Let’s talk about decapitation for a minute.
Did I draw you in with that hook? Whether you rose your eyebrows or nodded with excitement, you’re curious about what I’m going to say next, and your students will be too.

Throughout art history, there are topics and stories that we see repeated time and again by different artists, because they capture the imagination and ignite our emotions. One example of this is Judith and Holofernes paintings based on the story of Judith slaying Holofernes from the Septuagint and the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian Old Testament of the Bible. This story is represented in more than 114 paintings and sculptures!

Judith and Holofernes paintings
*Read more to see artist’s name, Judith Slaying Holofernes, 1614–20

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Judith and Holofernes Paintings

To sum up the story, Holofernes, an Assyrian general and our dastardly villain, was tasked by the king to destroy Judith’s hometown, the city of Bethulia. Judith, a beautiful widow, charms and befriends Holofernes and is allowed into Holofernes’ tent because of his desire for her. After he gets drunk and passes out, she chops of his head and carries it away in a basket back to Bethulia to prove to her neighbors that their troubles are over. Bam!

Caravaggio, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598-99 Judith and Holofernes paintings
*Read more to see artist’s name, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1598-99

These two representations of the story are remarkably similar, but the differences stand out. One of my all-time favorite art lessons is to have students compare and contrast these two Judith and Holofernes paintings. It’s a great lesson in looking closely. The longer you can keep a student looking and thinking, the more they will get out of it. Have your students notice the similarities and differences between the colors, lighting, postures, and expressions of the people, actions, lines, and emotions. There’s plenty to keep students exploring and engaged.

(Facebook video not working? Watch on YouTube.)

Discussing Gender in Art

I always follow up the compare and contrast activity with a thought-provoking question: “Which of these paintings was painted by a woman, and which was painted by a man?

Think about it. What do you think the correct answer is? How can you tell one was painted by a woman and one a man?

Notice how the women are painted. In the first one, the woman is strong and determined. She’s got her knee on the bed, really going for it. In the second, the woman is delicate and looks disgusted. She’s leaning away from the action, keeping her distance. Her body language is timid and worried.

Free Poster

What Do Kids Learn from Looking at Art Poster

Our students learn so much from looking at art. Use this poster in your classroom to remind them of all the skills they’re growing!

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Free Poster

What Do Kids Learn from Looking at Art Poster

Our students learn so much from looking at art. Use this poster in your classroom to remind them of all the skills they’re growing!

Classroom Art Discussion

I’ve led this discussion with countless groups of students–high-schoolers, college students, and adults. Answers and reasons always vary, and there is always an interesting discussion. Even when they get the answer “wrong,” it is still is an interesting way to explore gender and stereotypes. It’s a great way to encourage deep learning about the lives of artists.

The Passion of Artmesia by Susan Vreeland

Are you ready for the correct answer? Did you think about it first?

The first is the woman artist — Artemisia Gentileschi). The second is the man — Caravaggio. Did you get it right?

Gentileschi, a rare woman painter from the past, led a tumultuous life. She painted strong and powerful women, as well as women being oppressed or exposed. Although we tend to connect a woman’s life to her painting more than we do with male painters (see this post about the lives of artists), it’s hard to resist seeing the connection here. As a teenager, she was raped by a friend of her father. At the time, the woman was usually seen at the one to blame. There was a trial and she almost married the man who raped her. You can read about her life in the awesome biographical novel, The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland. I highly recommend this book. I read it years ago and loved it.

See more of Artemisia Gentileschi’s artwork here.

Art Learning Activities for Judith Slaying Holofernes

  • Compare and contrast the two works. After noticing all the similarities and differences, ask your students which painting was painted by a man and which a woman. Ask them to explain their answer. Use the compare and contrast art activity from the bundle of free art appreciation worksheets to get students thinking. (See photo below.)
  • Study Baroque art to better understand the characteristics of these two works. Use my Baroque lesson that includes this activity along with other compare/contrast activities to teach the main characteristics of Baroque. Buy the lesson here or join the Curated Connections Library to get the lesson materials.
  • Read my post about Exploring Narrative in Art for more activities to support and connect with stories in art.
  • Check out other representations of the story (below) and talk about which paintings depict the story more effectively and what choices artists makes to tell stories.
  • Watch the Khan Academy Smarthistory video about Gentileschi’s version of this story.
  • The following worksheets from my $12 Printable Art Appreciation Worksheets Bundle work well with these artworks: 4 Steps of Art Criticism, Compare and Contrast, Twitter Perspectives, Write a Letter, Formal Analysis–Elements of Art, Charlotte Mason Picture Study, Write a Haiku, and the “I am” Character Poem. Many of these worksheets are also available in my free worksheets bundle for e-mail subscribers.

This post was originally published on October 27, 2014.

Mentioned on the Art Class Curator Podcast…

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Filed Under: Art and Artists
Tagged With: artemisia gentileschi, best of art class curator, caravaggio

 

April 17, 2015 7 Comments

The Lives of the Artists: Can we separate art and artist?

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Can we separate the art from the artists? Should we?

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Can we separate the art from the artists? Should we?
I used to have a coworker who HATED Picasso. He was a womanizer she said, but I argued that it doesn’t matter. Picasso is a genius who changed art in so many incredible ways.

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Pablo Picasso

On the same note, one of my close friends hates Georgia O’Keeffe because she took a class about her in college and didn’t like O’Keeffe because of what she learned about the artist’s life and personality. I argued again that O’Keeffe’s work in person was breathtaking. Who cares if she made choices in her life that you don’t agree with?

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Georgia O'Keeffe

Last week, I posted a list of my favorite books and movies about artists for both kids and adults. In the post, I talk about how learning about the artist can add another dimension to connecting with their work. I love watching videos of artist’s work and seeing a fingerprint or a spontaneous brushstroke that shows the movement of the artists hand through space. These things connect me to the person on the other side and help me feel like a part of this world.

But, I think there is a fine line here that I can’t seem to place myself on either side of. I do love connecting with the artist, but what happens when the artist is a jerk or someone who abandoned their kids or even Hitler who was a struggling artist himself?

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Adolf Hitler

Can we still love and appreciate and be moved by art made by unsavory characters?

I personally think that art should speak for itself and stand alone. I believe we shouldn’t just the picture by the personality of the person who made it. I rarely bring in elements of the artist’s life unless it somehow relates to the art we are studying (like the death from tuberculosis of Munch’s mother and sister contributing to the sadness in his art or the rape of Artemisia Gentileschi contributing to her strong female characters and chosen subject matter).

The Art Curator for Kids - The Lives of the Artists - Edvard Munch

On the other hand, I also would never seriously show Hitler’s art or discuss it outside of the horrific context surrounding it or an aesthetics discussion like this one.

It’s a personal choice I guess. Where you draw the line may be different from where I draw the line.

What do you think? Can we separate art from artist? Should we? What does this mean for our teaching? Let me know in the comments or on this post on Facebook.

Filed Under: Art Teacher Tips
Tagged With: adolf hitler, artemisia gentileschi, edvard munch, georgia o'keeffe, pablo picasso

 

April 10, 2015 13 Comments

Best Artist Books and Movies for Kids and Adults

The Art Curator for Kids - Children's Books about the Lives of the Artists - Artist Books for Kids

Although I don’t think it is necessary to study the lives of individual artist to enjoy and connect with their artwork, hearing stories about artists can make their art come alive in new and exciting ways.

Several months ago, I received a message from a reader. This is what she said.

My number one struggle in teaching art to my kids is making artists come alive. I really want them to grasp art from cave drawings to modern art. To help them understand that there is a person behind each piece that has lived through struggles and joys. I want them to understand that art is an expression of the soul creating it.

~Tee from Wisteria and Worms

I love her statement here, because art is about people and connecting with people. When you are moved by a work of art, you are moved because of the person behind that artwork and what they were thinking and feeling. I believe art becomes more powerful when you recognize that truth.

I will never forget reading The Agony and the Ecstasy about Michelangelo. I read it before I studied abroad in Italy in college. After reading that book, I felt like I intimately knew both Michelangelo and where he lived, Florence, Italy. Going to Florence after reading that book was a magical experience for me.

Here are my favorite biographical novels, movies, and children’s books for both kids AND adults!

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Books about Artists for Kids

The Art Curator for Kids - Children's Books about the Lives of the Artists - Artist Books for Kids

  • Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter
  • Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
  • Uncle Andy’s by James Warhola
  • Frida by Jonah Winter
  • Diego by Jonah Winter
  • My Name Is Georgia by Jeanette Winter
  • The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel

Laurence Anholt’s Books about Artists For Children

This is a great series of books where artists and children meet.

  • Degas and the Little Dancer
  • Cezanne and the Apple Boy
  • The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
  • Leonardo and the Flying Boy
  • van Gogh and the Sunflowers
  • Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail
  • Camille and the Sunflowers
  • Papa Chagall, Tell Us a Story
  • Matisse, King of Colour

Movies and Books about Artists for Adults

The Art Curator for Kids - Artist Biographies for Adults, Books and Movies - Michelangelo, van Gogh, Vasari, Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Kahlo, Jackson Pollock

Books about Artists

  • The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo by Irving Stone
  • The Lives of the Artists by Giorgio Vasari
  • The Passion of Artemisia: A Novel by Susan Vreeland
  • Lust for Life by Irving Stone

Other Books about Artists

Tracy Chevalier and Susan Vreeland write good books surrounding artists but the historical accuracy isn’t as good, so I didn’t put them in the above list. I also really want to read The Private Lives of the Impressionists, but since I haven’t read it, I didn’t put in on the list. 🙂

Movies

  • Pollock
  • Frida
  • Girl with a Pearl Earring
  • Basquiat
  • Midnight in Paris

 

Filed Under: Downloads and Resources
Tagged With: andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, basquiat, camille pissarro, diego rivera, edgar degas, frida kahlo, georgia o'keeffe, giorgio vasari, henri matisse, henri rousseau, jackson pollock, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, michelangelo, pablo picasso, paul cezanne, vincent van gogh

 

January 6, 2015 19 Comments

A Year of Art Appreciation for Kids: 52 Artworks your Child Should Know

I have compiled for you a massive list of artworks for you to look at with your kids this year. I picked one artwork for each week of the year, and I tried to pick the best of the best. If you haven’t been showing art to your kids, this is a great list to start with! Just sit down and talk about a new artwork each week for a few minutes.

Please note, this post includes Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to Talk about Art with Your Kids

Here are some posts from Art Class Curator for tips at looking at art with your kids.

  • How to Look at Art with your Children
  • How to Look at Art with Toddlers and Preschoolers
  • Charlotte Mason Picture Study: An Easy Way to Introduce Art to your Kids

Art Appreciation for Kids

Instead of dividing by week, I divided by time period. Regrettably, this list does not include non-western art or contemporary art. For more awesome non-western art, check out my Art Around the World series. Each entry below includes a link to find the picture.

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Ancient to Classical Art

Ancient to Classical Art

  • Prehistoric, Nude Woman (Venus of Willendorf), c. 28,000-25,000 B.C.E (On ACFK, 5 Artworks to Promote Introspection) (Buy replica on Amazon)
  • Sumer, the Standard of Ur, about 2600-2400 B.C.E. (Book about this artwork)
  • The Law Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon, c. 1750 B.C.E (Book about Hammurabi’s Code)
  • Ancient Egyptian, Palette of King Narmer, c. 3000-2920 B.C.E.
  • Myron (Ancient Greek), Discus-thrower (Discobolus), Roman copy of a bronze original of the 5th century BC (Book about this artwork)
  • Hellenistic Greek, Laocoön and His Sons, early first century C.E.
  • Ancient Roman, Augustus of Primaporta, first century, C.E.
  • Ancient Roman, The Alexander Mosaic, ca. 100 BC (Poster of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Medieval to Renaissance Art

Medieval and Renaissance Art

  • Byzantine, Justinian and his Attendants, Basilica di San Vitale, 547 C.E
  • Gothic, Chartres Cathedral (Book about Chartres)
  • Jan and Hubert van Eyk, Adoration of the Mystic Lamb (Ghent Altarpiece), 1432 (Book about the Nazi theft of this artwork)
  • Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus, 1482-85 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Leonardo da Vinci, Last Supper, 1498 (Print of this artwork on wood)
  • Michelangelo Buonarroti, Sistene Chapel Ceiling, 1508-12 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Raphael, School of Athens, 1509-11 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Michelangelo Buonarroti, Slaves or Prisoners, ca. 1520-23



the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - 17th-18th Century Art

17th-18th Century Art

  • Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Beheading Holofernes, 1614-20 (On ACFK, Masterpiece Monday) (Novel about the Artist)
  • Gianlorenzo Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, 1622-25 (Replica of this sculpture)
  • Judith Leyster, Self-Portrait, c. 1630
  • Rembrandt, Officers and Men of the Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Wilhelm van Ruytenburgh, known as the Night Watch, 1642 (Canvas print of this artwork)
  • Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656 (On ACFK, 20 Great Artworks to Look at with Young Kids) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing, 1767 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jacques-Louis David, Oath of the Horatii, 1785 (Poster of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - 19th Century Art

19th-Century Art

  • Francisco Goya, Third of May, 1808 (Mouse pad of this artwork)
  • Eugène Delacroix, July 28: Liberty Leading the People, 1830 (Poster of this artwork)
  • William Turner, Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On), 1840 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Claude Monet, Les Nymphéas (The Water Lilies), 1840-1926 (Monet magnets)
  • Jean-François Millet, L’Angélus, c. 1857-1859
  • Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, 1884 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Auguste Rodin, The Burghers of Calais, 1884-95 (Coffee mug of this artwork)
  • Paul Gauguin, Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?, 1897-98
  • Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889 (On ACFK, 5 Exciting Art History Projects for Kids that Made me Say “WOW!”) (Umbrella of this artwork)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - Modern Art

Modern and Contemporary Art

  • Henri Matisse, Harmony in Red/La Desserte, 1908 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1910 (Inflatable Scream Doll)
  • Franz Marc, Fate of the Animals, 1913 (On ACFK, Art Spotlight: Franz Marc’s Fate of the Animals)
  • Marc Chagall, I and the Village, 1911 (On ACFK, 5 Artworks Your Children will Love) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Wassily Kandinsky, Panel for Edwin R. Campbell No. 4, 1914
  • Salvador Dali, The Persistence of Memory, 1931 (Melting clock)
  • Pablo Picasso, Guernica, 1937 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • Frida Kahlo, The Two Fridas, 1939 (On ACFK, 5 Artworks to Intrigue Your High Schooler) (Poster of this artwork)
  • Jackson Pollock, One: Number 31, 1950, 1950 (Book about this artwork)
  • Francis Bacon, Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, 1953 (On ACFK, Art Around the World in 30 Days – Ireland)
  • Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup Cans, 1962 (Converse shoes of this artwork)
  • Robert Rauschenberg, Skyway, 1964
  • Andy Goldsworthy, Fall Leaves (On ACFK, 5 Exciting Art History Projects for Kids that Made me Say “WOW!”) (Book about this artist)

the Art Curator for Kids - Art Appreciation for Kids - American

American Art

  • John Singleton Copley, Watson and the Shark, 1778  (On ACFK: Charlotte Mason Picture Study: John Singleton Copley)
  • Thomas Moran, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, 1872 (Jigsaw puzzle of this artwork)
  • John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo, 1882 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Frederic Remington, A Dash for the Timber, 1889 (Poster of this artwork)
  • Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930 (Children’s book about this artist)
  • Jacob Lawrence, The Migration Series, 1940-41 (Children’s book about this series)
  • Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942 (Poster of this artwork)

Whew! This is quite a list. It was hard to choose, and I know I left out some great artworks. Keep reading on Art Class Curator to learn more about teaching art to kids.

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Filed Under: Art Connection Activities
Tagged With: andy goldsworthy, andy warhol, artemisia gentileschi, auguste rodin, claude monet, diego velazquez, edvard munch, edward hopper, eugene delacroix, francis bacon, francisco goya, franz marc, frederic remington, frida kahlo, georges seurat, gian lorenzo bernini, grant wood, henri matisse, jackson pollock, jacob lawrence, jacques-louis david, jan van eyck, jean-francois millet, jean-honore fragonard, john singer sargent, john singleton copley, judith leyster, leonardo da vinci, marc chagall, michelangelo, pablo picasso, paul gauguin, raphael, rembrandt, robert rauschenberg, salvador dali, sandro botticelli, thomas moran, vincent van gogh, wassily kandinsky, william turner

 

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