Plate II, He is Discharged form his Employment for Drunkenness

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really interesting picture today! It's a black and white picture, not a painting with lots of colors, but it tells a very important story. It's called "He is Discharged from his Employment for Drunkenness." That's a long title, isn't it? What do you think that means? nn

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Yes, it means a man lost his job because he drank too much alcohol! This picture was made a long, long time ago, in 1847. Can anyone guess how old that is? It's much older than any of us! nn

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This picture shows a family in a very small, dark room. Look closely – what do you see? Do you see a man sitting down? He looks sad and tired, doesn't he? What about the woman? What do you think she's feeling? nn

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The artist, a man named George Cruikshank, wanted to show us how hard life was for some families a long time ago. They didn't have much money, and the father's drinking made things even worse. See the little children? They look worried, don't they? What do you think they're thinking? nn

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The artist used only black and white, but he was very clever! He used dark and light to show us how the family feels. The dark parts make the room feel gloomy and sad. Can you see the little things in the room? A table, a chair, a fireplace… It's not a very nice place to live, is it? nn

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This picture isn't just a picture of a family; it's a story about the problems people faced a long time ago. It's a reminder that even a long time ago, people struggled with things like poverty and addiction. It makes us think about how important it is to help each other. What do you think we can learn from this picture? nn

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I hope you enjoyed learning about this picture! It's a powerful story, even though it's just in black and white. Remember, art can tell us so much about the past and about people's lives. Now, let's go look at some other amazing art!