Valley with a Distant Bridge and Tower

My name is Isabella, and I'll be your guide today! We're going to look at a super cool painting called "Valley with a Distant Bridge and Tower." It was painted a long, long time ago, in 1825, by an artist named J.M.W. Turner. He was amazing at painting landscapes – that's pictures of nature! nn
nn Does anyone know what a landscape is? (Pause for answers). Yes, it's a picture of the countryside, with hills, rivers, and maybe even a bridge! This painting is really big, almost as tall as me! It shows a peaceful valley. Can you imagine being there? What do you think it would feel like? (Pause for answers) nn
nn Look at the sky. See how it's a soft, pale orangey-yellow near the ground, and then gets lighter and bluer higher up? It's like the sky at sunrise or sunset. And the colors on the ground are all soft browns and greens. The river is a light grey, almost like it's misty. Turner didn't paint everything super clearly. He made things a little blurry, like you're looking at them from far away. nn
nn See that tiny bridge and tower way off in the distance? They're so small you can barely see them! But that's part of what makes the painting so interesting. It makes the valley seem huge and mysterious. What do you think is happening in the valley? What kind of animals might live there? (Pause for answers) nn
nn This painting is from a time when artists loved to paint nature. They thought nature was powerful and beautiful, and they wanted to show how it made them feel. This painting makes me feel calm and peaceful. What does it make you feel? (Pause for answers) nn
nn So, next time you see a landscape, remember J.M.W. Turner and his amazing painting. Remember how he used soft colors and blurry shapes to make us feel like we're really there in the valley. Isn't that amazing? Now, let's go look at some more art!