Russian princess

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting! It's called "Russian Princess," and it's super old – from 1863! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). Wow, that's a long, long time ago! nn This painting is like a photograph from way back when. It shows a princess from Russia. See how big it is? It's almost as tall as some of you! It's painted in mostly grays and blacks. Does anyone know what that might make the painting feel like? (Pause for answers). Yes, maybe a little bit mysterious or maybe even a little sad. nn

Look closely at the princess. She's sitting down, and her dress is dark. Her hair is pulled back neatly. What do you think she's thinking about? (Pause for answers). It's like she's lost in thought, isn't it? The artist, Franz von Lenbach, was really good at showing people's feelings in his paintings. nn

The artist was very careful when he painted this. He paid attention to every little detail, like the way the light falls on her face and the folds in her dress. See how realistic it looks? It's almost like she could move! The background is dark, so all our attention is on the princess. What a clever way to make her the star of the painting! nn

This painting tells us a little bit about life for rich women in Russia a long, long time ago. It was a time of big changes. It's amazing to think that this painting has survived all this time, just so we can see it today! What do you think is the most interesting thing about this painting? (Pause for answers). I'm so glad you all came to see it with me! Now, let's go look at some more amazing art!