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jean-francois millet

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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