WHO WERE THE PRE-RAPHAELITES?

Year 6: Cultural Expression – Week beginning 8th June What is happening in this painting? Take a careful look at this painting and think about your answers to the following questions (you do not have to write your answers down unless it is helpful for you to do so) ◦ What can you see? ◦ What might the story to go alongside the painting? ◦ What colours have been used? ◦ Why might these colours have been used? ◦ When do you think it was painted? Why? ◦ What style of art or artists does it remind you of? This is a famous painting by Sir John Everett Millais, painted in 1851-2. It is called ‘Ophelia’ and is based on a character in a play called ‘Hamlet’, written by William Shakespeare.

Sir John Everett Millais was part of a group of artists in the 19th century known as the Pre- Raphaelites. They took lots of inspiration from literature and religion as well as medieval legends. WHO WERE THE PRE-RAPHAELITES? What is happening in Take a look at the following website tothis learn painting?more about the Pre- Raphaelites and what they were all about: https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/who-is/who-are-pre-raphaelites WHO WERE THE PRE-RAPHAELITES? What is happening in The Pre-Raphaelites loved to read and write,this and painting? many of their paintings were inspired by famous poems and stories. They got their friends to dress up as their favourite character’s from the past to draw them carefully and in great detail.

A famous poet named Alfred Lord Tennyson, wrote a poem called ‘The Lady of Shalott’ in 1842, which inspired many artists at the time. WHO WERE THE PRE-RAPHAELITES? What is happening in this painting?

Look at each of the painting inspired by ‘The Lady of Shalott’ on the following pages.

Compare and contrast each image. What do you notice? What is happening in this painting?

John William Waterhouse John William Waterhouse I am Half-Sick of Shadows, said The Lady of Shalott the Lady of Shalott, 1888 1915 What is happening in this painting?

John William Waterhouse Willian Holeman Hunt The Lady of Shalott The Lady of Shalott, Looking at Lancelot 1905 1894 What is happening in this painting?

Now it is your turn, create a Pre-Raphaelite inspired illustration for Tennyson’s ‘The Lady of Shalott’. You can pick any section of the poem that inspires you and can use any materials that you have available at home. HAD FUN ANDWANT TO DO MORE? What is happening in There are some really cool Pre- this painting? Raphaelite art activities you can have a go at using following website: https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explor e/who-is/who-are-pre-raphaelites

It would be lovely to see some of your excellent work and to set up a gallery of your masterpieces!