Lady Catherine Sambrooke, Lady Strickland (c.1706 - 1767)

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting! It's a portrait of a lady from a long, long time ago – way back in the 1730s! That's over 200 years ago! Can you imagine what life was like then? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting is called "Lady Catherine Sambrooke, Lady Strickland." The artist was a man named Michael Dahl, and he was super talented! He painted this picture of Lady Strickland so she would be remembered. It's really big, almost as tall as [mention something familiar to the children's height, e.g., your teacher's desk]! It's so big because it shows her in a lot of detail. nn (Pause for children's responses) nn Look at Lady Strickland! She's wearing a beautiful, dark brown dress. It probably felt very soft and luxurious, like silk! Can you see how the artist painted the folds in her dress? It looks wrinkly and soft at the same time. He used light and shadow to make it look real. What color is her dress? And what other colors can you see? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn See her hair? It's softly curled. And her face? She looks very calm and serious, doesn't she? Artists like Michael Dahl tried to make their paintings look very realistic, like a photograph. They wanted to show people exactly how someone looked. nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting isn't just a picture; it tells us about the past. It shows us how wealthy people dressed and how they looked. It's like a window into history! It helps us understand what life was like for someone important in England a long, long time ago. Isn't that amazing? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn So, next time you see a painting, remember to look closely! Look at the colors, the way the artist used light and shadow, and think about what the painting is trying to tell you. It might be a story, or it might be a glimpse into the past, just like Lady Strickland's portrait. Now, who wants to see another amazing painting? nn