Engagement Strategies:

Name someone who you think is powerful? (let the children name names…)

Who is powerful in your family? Why are they powerful? How do they show that they are powerful?

Putting yourself in art is a great way to show off your power.

Stop 1: Self Portrait, Bruyn

Do you think this person is powerful? How can you tell? I’m going to tell you something about this picture… It is a self-portrait. Do you know what that means? (explain) Now that you know that the artist painted it himself, does that information change your idea of how powerful he is or is not? Why?

Stop 2: Vespasian Receiving News, Alma-Tadema

The person in this picture is an emperor. What signs of power are in the painting that indicate that he is an emperor? (he has a servant, the frame is gold, and looks like an important building, …)

Stop 3: Nkisi Power Figure

Remember at the beginning we talked about what powerful people look like (give some examples) Does this figure show any of those things? If not, explain that different cultures show power in different ways and different symbols indicate power. This figure is called a power figure because of how it can facilitate powerful actions in its community. Discuss the symbols of power on the Nkisi.

Stop 4: Protective Amulet, China

This amulet was hung above a door to protect the residents. The powerful lion represents a powerful protector, so powerful he can carry a sword in mouth 

Stop 5: Madenokoji, Thirty Six Immortal Poets: Taira no Kanemori

This was a very famous man in Japan in the 1400s. What do you think he did for a living? Why do you think that? (He was a nobleman, a governor (although, perhaps, an unremarkable one). Do you think that he was a powerful person? (why/why not) He was most famous for his poetry. He was so important that he was included in a group called 36 immortal poet (ask if they know what immortal means) Here it means their poetry was so important that it would last forever.

Is importance the same as power?

Stop 6: Madonna and Child, Casentino

Madonna is bigger than others, throne indicates importance. Is importance the same as power?

Stop 7: Esther, Guercino

Who is the most powerful person in this picture? How can you tell?