Museum-Activity #1: What is a Portrait?
Museum-Activities: #1 | #2 | #3

Materials:

Suggested Galleries: American, Ancient Art, European Art, Pre- Columbian, Colonial

Student Worksheet #1

Tips and Guidance

Activity: Student Worksheet #1

1. Once you have arrived at the gallery, walk around for 5 minutes looking at portraits. Avoid looking at the information plates next to the artwork. This is an opportunity for you to react to a piece of artwork by looking at the visual information only. As a group decide on one of the portraits and sit or stand in front of it. Remember to allow space for other museum visitors to walk by or around you.
2. Again without looking at the information, fill in the following based on what you might know or what you would imagine.
   
   Title:
   Artist:
   Medium:
   Date:
   
   Description: (Hint: Imagine that you are talking to someone on the phone who cannot see this portrait. You would give them the general idea first (it is a portrait of a man, seated at a desk…). Use the back of the paper if you need more space.
3. Now record the actual information listed on the wall near the portrait.
   
   Title:
   Artist:
   Medium:
   Time Period:
   
   
4. Quickly, define the word “portrait”.
   
   
   
5. As a group come up with a definition of a portrait. Write it here:
   
   

SECONDARY: Pre-Visit | Museum Visit | Post-Visit | Assessment | Extensions | Resources | Books | Museum Map