The Dead Soldier

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really amazing painting! It's called The Dead Soldier, and it's super old – it was painted way back in 1789! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers). Wow, that's a long time ago! nn

This painting shows a sad scene. See this woman? She's holding a baby. The baby looks peaceful, but the woman looks very, very sad. Why do you think she's sad? (Pause for answers). That's right, because she's holding her baby and looking at a soldier who is lying on the ground. He's not moving. He's dead. nn

The soldier is wearing a bright red coat. See how it stands out against all the dark colors? The artist, Joseph Wright, was really clever with his colors. He used dark colors like brown and black to show how sad and gloomy everything feels. But the red coat is like a bright spot, even though it's a sad bright spot. What do you think the artist wanted us to notice about the red coat? (Pause for answers). nn

Look at the sky. It's kind of stormy and orangey-pink. Does that make the painting feel happy or sad? (Pause for answers). It makes the whole scene feel a bit dramatic, doesn't it? And see those big trees? They look dark and mysterious. It's like the painting is telling a story about loss and sadness. nn

This painting isn't just about a sad scene. It's also about war. The artist wanted to show us how war hurts people, even innocent babies. It makes us think about how sad war is. What do you think about war? (Pause for answers, guide discussion towards peaceful resolution). nn

This painting is really big! It's almost as tall as a grown-up! It's so big because the artist wanted us to really feel the emotions in the painting. He wanted us to feel the sadness and the loss. What do you feel when you look at this painting? (Pause for answers). nn

So, next time you see a painting, remember to look closely at the colors, the shapes, and even the size of the painting. They all help tell the story! Thank you for looking at The Dead Soldier with me today! Do you have any questions?