The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, and it was painted a long, long time ago, in 1677, by an artist named Jan Steen. He was from a country called the Netherlands. Isn't that a cool name? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting is like a story told with colors and shapes. It's a big painting, almost as tall as [mention a familiar height reference, e.g., your teacher]! It shows us a story from the Bible. Does anyone know any Bible stories? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This story is about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. Look closely at the painting. Can you see the rich man? He's having a big party! See all the yummy-looking food and the fancy clothes? What colors do you see on the rich people? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn Now look at Lazarus. He's on the other side, looking sad and hungry. His clothes are plain and dark. How do the rich people's clothes look different from Lazarus's clothes? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn The artist, Jan Steen, used bright colors for the rich people and dark colors for Lazarus. This helps us see the difference between them. It's like a spotlight shining on the party, but Lazarus is in the shadows. What do you think the artist wanted us to feel when we see this difference? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn Jan Steen was really good at painting details. Look closely! Can you see the little birdcage in the corner? Or the expressions on the people's faces? What do you think those expressions mean? Are they happy? Sad? Angry? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting isn't just about a Bible story. It's also about how people treated each other a long time ago. It makes us think about rich and poor people, and how we should treat everyone, even if they don't have much. What do you think is important to remember from this painting? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting is very old, but the story it tells is still important today. It reminds us to be kind and to think about others. I hope you enjoyed looking at this amazing painting! Do you have any questions? nn (Pause for children's questions and answers)