Saint Dominic

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's by an artist named Carlo Crivelli, and it's called Saint Dominic. Isn't that a fancy name? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting is super old! It was made a long, long time ago, between 1485 and 1490. That's before your grandparents, your great-grandparents, and even their grandparents were born! Can you imagine how old that is? nn (Pause for children's responses and discussion about time) nn

This painting shows a man named Saint Dominic. He's wearing a dark robe, kind of like a long coat. Can you see it? He looks very peaceful, doesn't he? He might be praying or thinking quietly. He's holding something in his hands – maybe a book? What do you think he's holding? nn (Pause for children's guesses and discussion) nn

Look closely at the painting. See how the artist made Saint Dominic look real? He used light and dark colors to make him look three-dimensional, like he's popping out of the painting! It's like magic! The artist was really, really good at painting! nn (Pause for children to observe the painting) nn

Now, look at the frame around the painting. It's not just a plain wooden frame, is it? It's all fancy and swirly! It's like a beautiful border. It has pretty leaves and what looks like a twisted rope. The frame is almost as interesting as the painting itself! What do you think the artist wanted us to notice about the frame? nn (Pause for children's observations and discussion) nn

This painting isn't just a picture of a man; it tells us about how people believed and what art looked like a long, long time ago. It shows us how clever artists were, even back then! It's a tiny window into the past, and we get to see it today! Isn't that amazing? nn (Pause for children's responses and further discussion) nn

So, what did you think of Saint Dominic? What was your favorite part? Remember, art is all about looking, thinking, and feeling! I hope you enjoyed learning about this wonderful painting today! nn (Open the floor for questions and further discussion)