Forest study

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a beautiful painting today! It's called "Forest Study," and it's by an artist named Ivan Shishkin. He painted it a long, long time ago, between 1900 and 2000. Can anyone guess what that means? (Pause for answers). Yes, it's very old! nn

--- nn Now, look closely at the painting. It's not very big, right? It's smaller than a poster! But it shows us a whole forest! See all the tall, brown trees? They reach way up to the sky. What do you think the trees look like? (Pause for answers). Some are skinny, some are a little thicker. And look at the leaves – some are green, some are a bit yellowish. What season do you think it might be? (Pause for answers). Maybe it's spring or autumn! nn

--- nn See how the sunlight shines through the leaves? It makes little spots of light on the ground. It's like a game of hide-and-seek with the sun! And look down at the bottom of the painting. Do you see the fallen trees and branches? They make the forest floor look interesting, don't they? What do you think happened to those trees? (Pause for answers). Maybe they fell down in a storm! nn

--- nn Shishkin was really good at painting! He used lots of different shades of brown and green to make the forest look real. He didn't paint any people or animals. It's just the trees and the forest. What do you think that makes us feel? (Pause for answers). Maybe it makes us feel peaceful and calm, like we're in the forest ourselves! nn

--- nn This painting shows us how beautiful nature can be. Shishkin loved nature, and he wanted to share that love with everyone through his art. So, next time you're outside, remember this painting and look closely at the trees and the ground. You might see things you never noticed before! Thank you for looking at this painting with me today! Do you have any questions?