Maria Zambaco

My name is Isabella, and I'll be your guide today! We're going to look at a really cool painting called Maria Zambaco. It was painted a long, long time ago, in 1870, by an artist named Edward Burne-Jones. nn (Pause for questions and allow children to share their thoughts.) nn

This painting shows a lady, probably named Maria Zambaco. She's sitting at a table with a book. Look at her dress! It's a beautiful dark green, like a velvety forest. What color is her hair? And what do you think she's reading? nn (Pause for questions and observations from the children.) nn

See that little, chubby figure peeking out from behind the blue curtain? He looks a bit like a playful angel, doesn't he? He's adding a bit of fun to the picture. The artist used lots of dark colors – greens, blues, and purples. But there are also some pretty purple flowers in the background. Can you spot them? nn (Pause for children to locate the flowers and share their thoughts.) nn

The artist was very good at making the painting look real. He made the lady's skin look soft, and her dress look like it's made of real velvet. This style of painting is called Pre-Raphaelite. It means the artists paid lots of attention to detail, like tiny little things. nn (Pause for questions and discussion about detail in the painting.) nn

This painting isn't just a picture of a lady; it tells a story. The open book might mean she likes to learn. The little angel might mean love or happiness. What do you think the painting is trying to tell us? nn (Pause for children to share their interpretations and engage in discussion.) nn

So, Maria Zambaco is a window into the past. It shows us how people dressed and what they liked a long time ago. It's a beautiful painting, and it's still interesting for us to look at today! What did you like best about the painting? nn (Pause for final questions and comments from the children.) nn Thank you for joining me! I hope you enjoyed learning about Maria Zambaco! Remember, art is all around us, and it's fun to look closely and see what stories it tells.