Queen Victoria at Osborne

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called "Queen Victoria at Osborne," and it's HUGE! It's like a giant picture, much bigger than our classroom whiteboard. Does anyone know what a queen is? What do you think a queen might do all day? nn

--- nn This painting shows Queen Victoria, a very important queen from a long time ago. She's sitting on a horse, and she looks a little bit sad. See her clothes? They're all dark colors, like black and grey. Why do you think she's wearing dark clothes? What might make someone feel sad? nn

--- nn Look closely at the Queen. She's holding a letter. Maybe it's a sad letter. And see all the other people around her? There's a man holding the horse, and some ladies sitting on a bench. And look! There are even some little dogs! What kind of dogs do you see? Do you have a pet? nn

--- nn The artist who painted this, his name was Edwin Landseer, was super good at painting animals. He made the horses and dogs look so real, don't you think? He even painted the Queen's clothes so you can almost feel the fabric. Can you see the place in the background? That's Osborne House, where the Queen lived. It's a beautiful place, isn't it? nn

--- nn This painting isn't just a picture of a queen on a horse. It shows us how the Queen felt. She was sad because someone she loved had died. Even queens get sad, right? But look at the dogs – they add a little bit of happiness to the picture. What do you think the dogs might be doing to help the Queen feel better? nn

--- nn So, "Queen Victoria at Osborne" shows us that even powerful people have feelings. It's a window into the past, showing us a moment in history and how people felt a long, long time ago. What do you think is the most interesting part of this painting? What makes you feel something when you look at it? I'd love to hear your thoughts!