5.3 Lesson 4 - The Artist as Changemaker - The French Revolution

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5.3 The Artist as Changemaker

Lesson 4: The French Revolution

Welcome to Arts

• Key Concept: Change, Systems

• Related Concepts: Boundaries, Innovation

• Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time
  

• Statement of Inquiry: Society's willingness to engage in warfare and violence is determined by society's perspective and resources

  Artists throughout history have used their work to question power and propose new visions for society.
  
  IDU with History

Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Become an art detective: Explore and compare how different artworks from times of war and revolution tell powerful political stories, using your analysis tools.

Lesson Programme

1. Starter: Describing Challenge (15 min)

2. Art & The French Revolution (10 min)

3. Independent Research & Initial Analysis (25 min)

4. Exchange: Carousel Presentation & Peer Feedback (15 min)

5. Reflection (5 min)

1. Starter: Describing Challenge (15 min)

What: Try to create the most accurate copy possible of an image that only your partner can see.

How: You will draw based only on your partner's verbal description. The drawing doesn't need to be beautiful, but it should accurately match the description.

Why: This activity makes you aware of how crucial careful observation and precise communication are when analyzing art. It highlights the difference between seeing and interpreting.

Round 1

Describer: Get your painting

Drawer: get ready to draw

Liberty Leading the People

ArtistEugène DelacroixYear1830MediumOil on canvasDimensions260 cm × 325 cm (102.4 in × 128.0 in)LocationLouvre, Paris[1]

Round 2

Describer: Get your painting

Drawer: get ready to draw

The Death of Marat

ArtistJacques-Louis DavidYear1793MediumOil on canvasMovementNeoclassicismDimensions162 cm × 128 cm (64 in × 50 in)LocationRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

2. Art & The French Revolution

Answer this question with the video: Can you explain the French Revolution through Liberty Leading the People?

What message about revolution and freedom do you think he wanted to send, and how do these choices help him send it?

Delacroix uses a dynamic composition with Liberty leading diverse figures, holding the French flag high, to powerfully show that all types of people united to fight for freedom. Through these choices, he wanted to send a clear message that revolution, despite its sacrifices, is a heroic and justified path to liberty.

How does David use specific artistic details in the painting (like Marat's pose, the light, or objects around him) to make Marat seem like a hero or a martyr, and what message does this send about the French Revolution?

David uses specific details like Marat's serene pose, the dramatic lighting, and the letter in his hand to transform him into a noble martyr for the revolution. This sends a powerful message that Marat's sacrifice was heroic and necessary for the revolutionary cause.

3. Your Exhibition: Art, War & Revolution

Your Mission: Design "Echoes of Conflict"

Task: Create a plan for your own art exhibition - you can work in pairs

What to Do:

• Select 5 Artworks:

• Choose 5 artworks (from 3+ art types) about war/revolution.

• Analyze each (Worksheet 1, Part 1).

Design Your Exhibition

Use the Worksheet to guide you!

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+30 s

4. Curator's Exchange: Your Exhibition, Your Voice!

• Each pair presents their five art works and plan for the exhibition to another student

• Each round: 1 minute per presenter, then SWITCH!

• Goal: Share your vision, discover new art, and challenge your thinking!

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5. Reflection & Portfolio

Instructions: Please answer the following questions briefly before you leave and put them on your portfolio

• Your "Aha!" Moment: What was the most surprising or significant thing you learned today about art's role in times of war or revolution?

• Connecting the Dots: Briefly describe one connection you made between an artwork you analyzed (yours or a peer's) and its political context.

5

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00

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+30 s

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.