50 Ways to Look at a Styrofoam Cup

The readings for today were all about teaching with objects.  I got pretty jazzed up at the ideas being thrown around.   The article Fifty Ways to look at a Big Mac Box really inspired me to think about the objects we see and ask a lot more questions about them.  For example, think what you can learn from examining a simple styrofoam cup.   About the cup:  Shaped to be stackable, individually-sized, hot or cold, disposable, molded material.  About our society:  we don't want to share cups, we don't really know where this kind of cup comes from, we have plenty so we don't mind just throwing things away. In class, we practiced describing ordinary objects with only what we learn with our senses.  Interesting.
Our first assignment will be to describe an object in the gallery the same way.

In the afternoon we toured the Renaissance and Baroque galleries and the Chamber of Wonders.  John was demonstrating techniques like "telling stories in art," although today seemed like kind of a jumble of techniques.  We started in the early Renaissance, looking generally at images like these and noting that there was not a background, no nature, sky, etc:

Without actually talking about the concept of perspective, John then spent some time on this painting, noting that the artist is now attempting to include some background elements (the bed in the background, a ceiling over Mary's head, some leaves in the background of the angel) and some concept of things being farther away and therefore smaller.  Mostly we talked about how this artist was trying but didn't quite get it.

We did not discuss a lot of other details, like the scenes below (the predella) or the figures in the background which I would enjoy talking about if I were using this picture.  

Next, we went on the The Ideal City.  Again, we didn't talk directly about perspective, but we did discuss how you know things are far away or close, noting the very small building in the far background.  Apparently there are actually lines incised in the panel all converging on the midpoint, or vanishing point.  We also discussed what was happening in the city, whether it looks like a real city, whether you would like to live there, whether you think it looks ideal.  

On to some other much later Renaissance paintings, and here the technique was clearly about "stories." Who are these people, what are they thinking, are they rich or poor, sad or happy, etc.  

The first picture is of a countess and her daughter.  A fur wrap like the one she is holding is on display directly below the picture.  And the daughter would be a good subject for role playing among kids.  The young boy recently lost his father and is the newly-minted head of the household, hence the portrait.  Good thing he has his dog sleeping nearby.  

In the same gallery is a copy of the Mona Lisa.  Even though it isn't the real thing, it can still be used for teaching - the background, the expression on the face, etc., all interesting to discuss with kids. 

Also this afternoon, we took a slap-dash tour through the Collector's Study, Arms and Armor (one nice little room, not like the Met) and the Chamber of Wonders.  The three rooms have been placed together, simulating what one might have seen in a grand manor house.  

In the collector's study, a small collection of myriad treasures that the collector would show only to trusted visitors;  in the entrance hall, armor and weapons to signify the might of the family and its long ancestry; and in the Chamber of Wonders a larger collection for more public viewing.

Notice the painting on the far wall.  It is a painting of a typical collector's "Cabinet" might have looked like.  It would be fun to compare this with what has been recreated here.  

The Walters' Chamber of Wonders has been studied and copied by other museums, and it would be a great place to bring kids just for an afternoon of browsing.  But I need to know a lot more about it before I start to show it off.  

The Chamber of Wonders fits in very well with the idea of teaching with objects, and was a good place to end the day.  

The Archdukes Albert and Isabella Visiting a Collector's Cabinet