Elderly woman in profile

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool drawing today! It's by an artist named Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, and it's called Elderly Woman in Profile. Have you ever seen a drawing done with just red chalk? This one is! It's like a beautiful, reddish-brown color. nn (Pause for children to look at the drawing) nn Isn't it interesting? It's a picture of a very old woman. She's sitting down, and we only see her from the side. What do you think she's thinking about? Maybe she's remembering something special? Or maybe she's just looking out the window? nn (Pause for children to respond) nn Look closely at her face. See her nose? And her mouth? The artist was really good at showing us how old she is, just by drawing her face. He used light and dark to make her face look round and three-dimensional, even though it's just a drawing! It's like magic, isn't it? nn (Pause for children to examine the details) nn The background is very simple. It's mostly just empty space. Why do you think the artist did that? What happens when the background is simple? Does it make the woman stand out more? nn (Pause for children to respond) nn This drawing is quite small, only this big (gesture to indicate size). But it feels very powerful, doesn't it? It makes us think about this woman and her life. The artist didn't spend ages making it perfect. He made quick, expressive lines. It's like a snapshot of a moment in time. What do you think she was doing just before the artist drew her? nn (Pause for children to respond) nn This drawing is a really good example of how artists can show us so much with just a few lines and some shading. It's a beautiful and thoughtful piece of art, and I hope you enjoyed looking at it with me today! Do you have any questions? nn

(Allow time for questions and discussion)