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Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources

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Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Overview: During Art of the American Revolution, students will look closely at portraits of 18th century Bostonians and history paintings depicting battle scenes from the Revolution. With these resources and activities, students can delve deeper into John Singleton Copley’s portraits and research other colonial figures who were never portrayed in historic oil paintings. Grade Range: 2 – 5 Curriculum: The Arts – Visual, Social Studies – American History Key Concepts and Vocabulary Portrait: A portrait is a painting, drawing, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person. A portrait is more than just a record of a person’s appearance; they are also a way of showing the sitter’s personality and qualities (power, beauty, profession, education, interests). Today, photography has become the typical medium of traditional portraiture, making what was formerly an expensive luxury product affordable for almost everyone. History Painting: In the seventeenth century, history painting was considered to be the most important type (genre) of painting and included paintings with subjects drawn from ancient Greek and Roman (classical) history, classical mythology, and the Bible. Later, in the eighteenth century, the term was also used to refer to paintings with more recent historical subjects. Classroom Activity: Portraits by John Singleton Copley Working in small groups, students will examine Copley’s portraits of 18th century men and women and read a short description of the individual portrayed in their painting. Groups will write a speech or thought bubble reflecting what they think the colonist may be been thinking, feeling, or saying. Step 1: Begin by printing pages 4-13 of this packet: five portraits and their accompanying descriptions. Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a portrait. First, ask groups to examine their portrait – looking closely for attributes and features that tell them about their colonist. Second, ask one person to read aloud the description on the back for the group. MFA Image Credits: The Death of General Warren at the Battle of Bunker's Hill, 17 June, 1775, 1977.853; Samuel Adams, L-R 30.76c; The Passage of the Delaware, 03.1079. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Step 2: After each group has examined their portrait, give the following prompts: o What might the colonist in your painting be thinking or feeling? What might they say? What do you see that makes you say that? o Write a short quote in the thought or speech bubble on your handout. Step 3: To conclude, ask each group to share their portrait with the class. Each group can tell about the colonist in their portrait and what they wrote in the speech or thought bubble. As each group shares, consider projecting an image of their portrait on a large screen (images available at https://collections.mfa.org/collections) Classroom Activity: Who is Missing? Colonial portraits were more aspirational than documentary – painters wanted to show off their skills rendering the shimmer of a satin dress or the softness of a curl of hair, and sitters wanted to appear confident, worldly, and beautifully dressed – regardless of how they actually looked. Especially for wealthy white elites, portraits marked significant events like marriages, solidified relationships between families, and projected their ideas of prosperity and power. The empty frame in the MFA’s galleries represents the many people in the Revolutionary period who were never painted – or heroized – in oil on canvas. Perhaps the people missing from this picture could not afford to commission a portrait, or perhaps they conveyed their values through different art forms. Assign students to research some of the people who are missing from the MFA’s collection of colonial portraits. Start with some of the suggestions below and help us by adding to the list. Crispus Attucks – the sailor of African and Natick Indian descent who became the first Patriot to die in the war; Phillis Wheatley – the young West African woman enslaved in Boston who became an internationally acclaimed poet; Sachem Solomon Uhhaunaunaunmut (“King Solomon”) – who led Stockbridge Mohican soldiers against British forces in early Revolutionary battles; Elizabeth Freeman – whose lawsuit for freedom led the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to outlaw slavery in 1781; Who else do you want to see on this list? Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Additional Online Resources The New MFA: First Painting Installed Watch the unrolling and installation of the massive canvas by Thomas Sully, The Passage of the Delaware, as this mammoth painting was prepared and placed in the MFA’s Art of the Americas Wing in 2010. William Lee From the Mount Vernon website, learn more about George Washington’s valet William Lee who is depicted with Washington in the MFA’s The Passage of the Delaware. Massachusetts State House Time Capsule In 2014, MFA conservator Pamela Hatchfield excavated a time capsule found below the Massachusetts State House, originally placed by Governor Samuel Adams, patriot Paul Revere and Colonel William Scollay in 1795. The MFA and Commonwealth of Massachusetts opened the capsule and revealed its contents. You can see the contents of the time capsule in the video and slideshow at the bottom of the webpage linked above. Colonial Silversmithing As a follow-up to looking at the MFA’s portrait of Paul Revere (Copley’s only finished portrait of an artisan shown at work), watch craftsman Steve Smithers demonstrate colonial American silversmithing techniques in this short video. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources JOHN HANCOCK My uncle was the richest merchant in Boston and I inherited both his mansion and successful business. I didn’t pay much attention to business myself, but I asked the artist to paint me as if I was working. I also asked the artist to paint me in a plain setting, although I was known for my fancy clothes. I wanted my fellow townspeople to see me as a workingman, so that’s how I had the artist paint me! I am also known for my fanciful signature on the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock, 1765 John Singleton Copley (American, 1738–1815) DIMENSIONS 124.8 x 100 cm (49 1/8 x 39 3/8 in.) ACCESSION NUMBER L-R 30.76d MEDIUM OR TECHNIQUE Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources SAMUEL ADAMS I played an important part in the events leading to the American Revolution. I attended the Continental Congress, which issued the Declaration of Independence, and later I became the fourth Governor of Massachusetts. The artist shows me at one of my greatest moments—when I confronted the British governor in March 1770 (the day after the Boston Massacre, to be exact) and demanded all British troops be removed from the town of Boston. Samuel Adams, about 1772 John Singleton Copley (American, 1738–1815) DIMENSIONS 125.73 x 100.33 cm (49 1/2 x 39 1/2 in.) ACCESSION NUMBER L-R 30.76c MEDIUM OR TECHNIQUE Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources JOSEPH WARREN When my portrait was painted, I was a successful doctor in Boston. The color of my clothing, black, is important because only professionals (such as doctors and judges) wore it during this time. Later, I became known for my role in the American Revolution: I was a leader of the Boston Tea Party, I dispatched Paul Revere on his “midnight ride,” and I became a major-general in the army. After my death, I became a great American hero who was remembered in poems and paintings. Paul Revere even named his next-born son after me. Joseph Warren, about 1765 John Singleton Copley (American, 1738–1815) DIMENSIONS 127 x 100.96 cm (50 x 39 3/4 in.) ACCESSION NUMBER 95.1366 MEDIUM OR TECHNIQUE Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources MERCY OTIS WARREN I was lucky to receive a good education, which was not common for young women in the colonies. I was a housewife and mother of three sons when my portrait was painted; the artist shows me in my finest satin dress tending to nasturtium flowers—a symbol of my responsibilities as a woman and mother. I wrote poetry, plays, and essays on politics. In 1805, I wrote one of the first histories of the American Revolution at a time when there were not many women authors. Mrs. James Warren (Mercy Otis), about 1763 John Singleton Copley (American, 1738–1815) DIMENSIONS 126.05 x 100.33 cm (49 5/8 x 39 1/2 in.) ACCESSION NUMBER 31.212 MEDIUM OR TECHNIQUE Oil on canvas Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Outreach Programs Art of the American Revolution Teaching Resources ELIZABETH MURRAY SMITH I was a successful businesswoman, which was quite unusual for a woman in the colonies. I imported goods from England—mostly millinery (hats and other headwear for women) and dry goods. As an independent woman, I chose to have my portrait painted shortly after the death of my second husband.
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