Portrait of Adolphine Købke, Sister of the Artist

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's called "Portrait of Adolphine Købke." See that lovely lady? She's the artist's sister! Isn't she pretty? nn (Pause for children's responses) nn This painting is super old! It was made a long, long time ago, in 1832. That's like, way before your grandparents were even born! The artist, Christen Købke, painted his sister. He really loved her, and wanted to show everyone how beautiful she was. nn (Pause for children's responses. Perhaps ask: "What do you think he loved most about his sister?") nn Look closely at her face. Do you see how he painted her skin? It's so smooth and soft. And her hair! It looks like waves, doesn't it? What color is her hair? And what about her dress? It's got red and green, like a Christmas tree! He even painted the tiny little ruffles on her collar. Wow, that's a lot of detail! nn (Pause for children's responses. Ask questions about the colors and details they see.) nn The background is dark, almost like night. But the light shines on Adolphine's face, making her really stand out. It's like a spotlight just on her! This is called chiaroscuro – a fancy word for light and dark! It makes the painting more interesting, doesn't it? nn (Pause for children's responses. Ask: "What would the painting look like if the background wasn't dark?") nn This painting is small, but it tells us a big story. It shows us how much the artist loved his sister, and how good he was at painting. It's like a little window into the past, showing us what people looked like and what they wore a long, long time ago. Isn't that amazing? nn (Pause for children's responses. Ask: "What do you think Adolphine was thinking about when her brother painted her?") nn So, next time you look at a painting, remember to look closely! See the colors, the shapes, and the details. Every painting tells a story, and it's up to you to discover it! Thank you for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed learning about this beautiful painting!