Lesson Three For all levels

The portraits are selected from both the historical and contemporary collections.

Gallery Tour 1 hour

The selection of historical and contemporary portraits from the Christchurch City Collection asks students to consider the sitter as a real life person whose character is shaped by their life and time.

Each lesson will consider:

• Who is the sitter?
• When was the portrait painted?
• Style
• Techniques (e.g. Where do you place the eyes? How did the artist use colour and blending to create 3-D form? Did the artist use tonal modelling?)
• Use of media
• Purpose of the portrait (Why was the portrait painted? What does it tell us about the character and status of the sitter? How has the artist posed the sitter to reveal his/her character/status?)

Gallery Tour and Workspace Activity 11/2 hour

The Gallery lesson can be extended by a hands-on activity in the workspace. Depending on the level and learning outcome that fits this lesson, the extension can focus on:

• Self portrait in the style of..., using paint, pastel, mixed media or as a print
• An observational drawing of a friend
• A 3-D mask
• Clay modelling

Curriculum Links

• Visual Arts
  • Practical knowledge, developing ideas, communicating ideas and understanding
  art in context
• English
  • Oral language: Listening and speaking
  • Visual language: Viewing and presenting
• Social Studies
  • Culture and heritage