Spot the difference: The Yellow House (2)

• Art and design
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)

Introduction

Extension of 'Spot the difference: The Yellow House (1)'

Instructions

See 'Spot the difference: The Yellow House (1)'

Artist Vincent van Gogh

Title The Yellow House ('The street')

Date June 1888

Location Arles, France

Collection Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Have you already done the lesson 'Spot the difference: The Yellow House (1)'? Review that lesson briefly. Remind the class of a few basic facts about the painting The Yellow House and the artist, Vincent van Gogh.

Did you look closely?

Now find the difference!

To avoid confusion, every modified version is marked with the words,
'What is wrong with this painting?'

Answer: The second railway bridge on the right has one more pillar than in the original painting.

Did you look closely?

Spot the difference!

Answer: The lamp post on the left side of the painting is missing.

Did you look closely?

Spot the difference!

Answer: Compared to the original painting, the train is going in the opposite direction.

Did you look closely?

Spot the difference!

Answer: The large heap of sand in the lower left corner is missing.

Did you look closely?

Spot the difference!

Answer: In the dark window on the top floor of the house behind Vincent's, a white dot is missing.

Ask the class if they have ideas about what that white dot could be. It looks as if the window is open and someone inside is wearing a white cap. But it could also be something very different.
Which difference was the hardest one to find? Did the differences make the painting completely different, or did they not really matter very much?

Look at The Yellow House in detail

The link leads directly to the page for The Yellow House on the website of the Van Gogh Museum.