Chapter 3: Picturing the mighty

Axe 3: Art & Power

Are the portraits of the mighty only meant to establish their power?

Chapter 3

Picturing the mighty

React:

Henry VIII

Unit 03

Describe the king's appearance.

What is surprising or unusual in the painting? Do you find it funny?

Image by Reuban Dangoor

What is the artist's goal? How do you react to this picture?

London artist Reuben Dangoor displays its digitally-painted “Henry VIII doing the hip-hop squat in sunglasses” at the Tower of London, as part of a series of portraits reimagined through a mobile lens to celebrate the Three UK mobile network’s “Phones Are Good” campaign in October 2018. Reuben Dangoor reimagined classic 17th Century historical figures and paintings through the mobile lens of today’s social media profile pictures. Each portrait shows how the historical figures may have appeared in a profile picture if mobile phones and social media had existed at the time. Dangoor’s art was on display in a London art gallery and in symbolic places (Outside Buckingham Palace, in front of the London Eye or outside the Tower of London) in October 2018.

Watch the video and make notes.

Portrait or propaganda?

For this groupwork, you will need the Help! box on p. 81

Groupwork

The class will be divided into 3 groups. Each group will focus on a different aspect of this painting.

King Henry VIII, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1537

Group 1: focus and make notes on the decor Group 2: focus and make notes on the King's clothing Group 3: focus and make notes on the King's posture

1. What else have you learned about this portrait? 2. This painting has been called "a magnificent piece of propaganda". Do you agree? Why (not)?

Listen to the audio and read the script then answer the question.

- It seems to me that… I have the feeling that… / My opinion is that… / In my opinion, … / To my mind, … / I do think that… - I (dis)agree with … / I see eye to eye with … / I (do not) share X’s opinion about … / I beg to differ with X about …

Expressions of opinion

The Armada Portrait, 1540-96

Queen Elizabeth I

Lesson 3

The class will be divided into 3 groups. Each group will focus on a different aspect of this painting.

Group 1: focus and make notes on the decor Group 2: focus and make notes on the Queen's clothing Group 3: focus and make notes on the Queen's posture

Watch the video and check your answers. What else have you learned about this portrait?

Make a summary: What are the symbols of the Queen's victory and power?

Winston Churchill, Yousuf Karsh, 1941

Lesson 3

What image do painters and photographers give of political leaders?

Portraits of Power

Yousuf Karsh was one of the greatest black-and-white portrait photographers of the 20th century. Born in Armenia, his family fled Turkish persecution. He found refuge in Canada at the age of 16 with an uncle who was a photographer based in Ottawa. This marked the beginning of a long career. His talent and reputation were such that he was chosen to take a portrait of Churchill when the latter visited Canada in 1941.

(1908-2002)

Armenian-Canadian photographer

Yousuf Karsh

Observe the photograph of Winston Churchill and describe it briefly (pose, attitude, general appearance). Imagine the reasons why he has such an attitude.

p.84

Read the text and check your answers to A

Compare the two images.

Explain why Churchill called himself a "roaring lion" (line 17)

Lesson 4

Observe this painting of Winston Churchill. Compare it to the photograph below.

A remarkable example of modern art

Read the text to learn the stort behind this portrait. Write a summary where you will highlight the main ideas.

Watch the video.

Why did Churchill say that his portrait was "a remarkable example of modern art"?

George Washington, Lansdown Portrait, Gilbert Stuart, 1796

Lesson 5

American presidents' official portraits

President Barrack Obama by Kehinde Wiley, 2018

Background to Barack Obama’s official portrait Barack Obama chose American painter Kehinde Wiley to create his official portrait for the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. Barack Obama’s portrait was unveiled in a ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery on Feb. 12, 2018. In Wiley’s own words during the ceremony, he is “the first African-American painter to paint the first African-American president of the United States.” He is also the first African-American artist to execute an official presidential portrait for the National Portrait Gallery. Wiley took thousands of photographs of Barack Obama in order to create the final portrait, which is a different method from the usual sittings. The portrait differs from the usual and official presentation of most other Presidents. It depicts Obama seated in a brown chair, surrounded by flowers and foliage. The flowers that appear include chrysanthemums, the official flower of Chicago, and jasmine, a flower that is found in Hawaii where the former president was born. There are even some African blue lilies, which are symbolic of Obama's Kenyan heritage.

Observe these portraits of American presidents. What image does each one convey?

Compare these portraits. How do the artists express each president's power?

Which portrait do you prefer? Justify your answer.

Read the texts and learn the story behind these portraits. Make notes on the historical context, symbolic elements and reactions... What makes each portrait unique?

Homework

National portrait gallery catalogue

Lesson 6

Choose the cover for the catalogue As the curator of the National Portrait Gallery in London, you were asked to choose the portrait that best illustrates the catalogue of the exhibition "Portraits of Power". Explain your choice to the board of directors.

Méthodologie Commenter une image p. 310

Elizabeth II, Chris Levine, 2008

Elizabeth II, Lucien Freud, 2000

Modern-day representations

Lesson 7

Observe Portrait A by Lucien Freud. What image does it give of Elizabeth II?

A British art critic said that it was "probably the best royal portrait for at least 150 years". Do you agree? Why (not)?

Observe portrait B by Chris Levine. How unusual is it?

Watch the video to find out how Chris Levine's iconic photo was taken.

This video is an interview of Chris Levine, a British artist. The video is about a famous portrait that Levine made of Queen Elizabeth II. His method was to take a lot of photos of the Queen so that he could have a picture from every perspective and angle. The challenge for the Queen was that she couldn't move and the crown she was wearing was heavy. Levine allowed her to rest her eyes during takes.

Lesson

Observe and comment on the picture (Who?When? Where? Why?) What did the photographer have in mind when he took the picture?

7 sentences +

4-6 sentences

3 sentences

How many sentences can you make using what you learned? Collect stars.

You are a guide at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. The museum is holding an exhibition about British and American iconic leaders. Make an audio guide for visitors to present three leaders of your choice. Do not forget to include some information about the artists' intentions.

Final task

Text on Pg. 82 of Hit the Road 1er Questions on worksheet number 22

Reading comprehension Test