Kew Gardens: The Pagoda and Bridge

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting! It's called "Kew Gardens: The Pagoda and Bridge," and it's super old – it was painted way back in 1762! That's a long, long time ago! Can anyone guess how old that is? (Pause for answers) Wow, you're all so smart! nn This painting shows a beautiful garden in England. It's not a big painting, it's kind of small, like a big postcard. Imagine you're visiting this garden. What do you think you would see? (Pause for answers) nn Look at the river! It's so calm and peaceful, like a mirror reflecting the sky. See the little boat? There are tiny people in it! Can you see them? They look like they're having a nice, quiet day on the water. What do you think they are doing? (Pause for answers) nn And look over there! See that tall, brownish building? That's a pagoda! It's like a special tower. It's so far away, but we can still see it clearly. There are even tinier people near the pagoda! It makes the garden seem really, really big, doesn't it? nn See all the green trees and bushes? The artist used lots of different shades of green and brown to make it look really realistic. It's like he's showing us all the different plants and how they grow. What are your favorite colors in this painting? (Pause for answers) nn The sky is a pale blue-grey. It looks like either the morning or the evening. It makes the whole painting feel very peaceful and calm. How does the painting make you feel? (Pause for answers) nn The artist, Richard Wilson, was really good at painting light and shadow. He made the painting look so real and beautiful. He wanted to show us how lovely nature can be. This painting is a special piece of art history, and we're lucky to have it here! nn So, what did you think of this painting? What was your favorite part? (Pause for answers and engage in further discussion). I hope you enjoyed learning about "Kew Gardens: The Pagoda and Bridge"! Now let's go see some more amazing art!