Take some time and go through the images on your own, doing your best to look over the images and answer the correlated questions (Click on any image below to reach a larger image and the object record). Don't be nervous if you are not sure where to start in "reading" a work of art! If it's a helpful place to start, try starting with identifying the Elements of Art:

Some other things to consider when looking at these images and answering the questions:

Symbols—things that have a specific meaning or that represent something else—are a powerful part of how we understand the visual world. We recognize symbols by using personal knowledge gained through memory and lived experience.
Context: Culture and history influence how and what we see. Much of our reaction to an image depends on the context we see it in. What was the artist trying to convey and how does this relate to the time and place in which the work was created? Similarly, how do the values and beliefs of our own society shape our understanding of an image?

Below are some questions to consider when looking through the Resource:

As you look, consider:

• What drew you to this work in particular?
• How do you think it was made?
• What feeling, mood, or thought does this work evoke for you?
• Can you draw a comparison between what you have read or discussed in class to what you see

Visual artists use formal elements such as line, color, texture, and space to create and convey meaning:

• Look at the form of the piece- how would you describe the colors?
• What words capture the quality of line in this work?
• What role does surface texture play, if any?
• How is space depicted?
• Does the title of the work provide helpful information for this discussion?

1. Discuss as a group what you notice about this selection of art as a whole.
2. Which work of art or artist is your favorite? Why?