People and Portraits. Teachers notes. FREE ENTRY liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever

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Teachers notes Mrs William Hesketh Lever, later 1st Lady Lever 1896-7, by Samuel Luke

1 Teachers notes Mrs William Hesketh Lever, later 1st Lady Lever , by Samuel Luke Fildes Room 10 (Main Hall) FREE ENTRY

2 Introduction to the Gallery The Lady Lever Art Gallery houses the personal collection of William Hesketh Lever. It contains one of the UK s finest collections of fine and decorative art. It has the best collection of Wedgwood jasperware anywhere in the world and its collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings is internationally renowned. The Gallery was founded by William Hesketh Lever ( ) and is dedicated to the memory of his wife Elizabeth. Lever wanted to share his collections with the public. At first he used the village library for small displays, but he needed a bigger building for his collections. Lever personally selected works of art from his huge collection for the Gallery. The Gallery still contains the best of his personal art collection. Notes These notes are designed to support Key Stage 1 and 2 teachers focusing on people and portraits while exploring the collections at the Gallery. They provide starting points for discussion, ideas for practical activities and suggestions for extended work. What s on offer at the Lady Lever Art Gallery? The Education programme at the Lady Lever Art Gallery, offers a range of educational opportunities for individuals and groups to think creatively and enjoy a rewarding gallery experience. For primary and secondary teachers and students the Gallery provides an inspiring environment to explore, investigate and enjoy through activities that enhance the national curriculum. From booking one of our staff-led sessions to exploring the Gallery on your own, the Lady Lever Art Gallery is an ideal place to engage learners. Self-guided visits Teachers are welcome to explore the Gallery without direct input from Gallery staff as part of a self-guided visit. We have a range of resources for teachers to utilise, either on their own or with their class. Education sessions Book one of our education sessions led by a member of staff, which offer an exploration and hands-on experience of the Gallery. All of our sessions link to the national curriculum and utilise our collections and displays. Booking well in advance is advised. A full listing of all our galleryled and self-led sessions is listed on our website at liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/learning or by contacting our group bookings team on or bookings@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk Teachers events If you are interested in bringing a group to the Lady Lever Art Gallery, we run twilight events for teachers which include guided tours, familiarisation visits and sessions to support you interpreting the collections with your group. The sessions are a great way to keep up to date and learn new skills. For more information or to find out the date of the next event please contact LLAGEducation@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk Resources Trails, sketchbooks and pupil booklets can be requested by teachers at the time of booking a visit to the Gallery. 2

3 Lady Lever Art Gallery - floor plan 3

4 Before your visit Pre-visit discussion starters, ideas and activities to support learning prior to visiting the Gallery Words to investigate Portrait and portraiture Composition Significant Symbolism Context Proportion Commission People to investigate Queen Victoria (British royalty) William Hesketh Lever (Significant businessman from the local area) Napoleon Bonaparte (French military and political leader) Enquiry Look at contemporary portraits e.g. digital photos, phone cameras, magazines and compare them to historic paintings of significant people. (Art & Design, Literacy/ English, History) Create a portrait gallery in the classroom. Ask pupils to draw or bring in photos, drawings, and paintings of their family or create self-portraits to display. (Art & Design) Set up a photo studio in school and take portraits of pupils. Use props to change how each sitter looks e.g. hats, wigs, objects, and background colour. (Art & Design, Drama) During your visit Discussion starters, ideas and activities to support learning during your visit to the Gallery What is a portrait? What is the purpose of a portrait? How do we make portraits today? Who is the portrait of? Was the sitter rich or poor? How can we tell? What clothes are they wearing? What objects are included in the portrait and why? Where was the portrait painted? What colours are used in the painting and are they significant e.g. Royal colours? What is a commissioned portrait? Enquiry Look at the stories behind historic portraits, and explore how the artists have shown the personality and the life of the sitter through pose, gesture, background, symbols and props. (History, Art & Design) Look at how some portraits have been painted to convey a message e.g. Queen Victoria by Sir David Wilkie in Room 30 was painted to show a young newly crowned Queen. Look at the choice of colour, composition, texture and objects in the painting. (Art & Design, History) Small groups of pupils can explore Lever s miniature portrait collection in Room 26 which is located in a drawer. Look at the history of miniatures, the detail, who was painted and what materials were used. (Art & Design, Science, History) Explore the story behind the portrait by hot seating based around the people in each portrait painting. (Drama, Literacy/English, History) 4

Objects in People and Portraits Queen Victoria (1897) by Sir David Wilkie Room 30 The artist Sir David Wilkie (1785-1841) was a successful Scottish artist.

The Queen and art critics disliked this painting so much that the artist felt he had to leave the country for a while to escape the embarrassment.

paint her. Wilkie also felt that he had not been given enough time with the Queen to capture her likeness. Napoleon s death mask (1833) cast by E.

5 Objects in People and Portraits Queen Victoria (1897) by Sir David Wilkie Room 30 The artist Sir David Wilkie ( ) was a successful Scottish artist. The painting of Queen Victoria was commissioned for the British Embassy in Paris by Lord Chamberlain in The Queen and art critics disliked this painting so much that the artist felt he had to leave the country for a while to escape the embarrassment. The artist Wilkie said that the new Queen looked glossy and clean-looking and eminently beautiful but he later complained that she had been a poor sitter as she did not sit still for the artist to paint her. Wilkie also felt that he had not been given enough time with the Queen to capture her likeness. Napoleon s death mask (1833) cast by E. Quesnel Room 9 Napoleon was one of Lever s heroes as he was fascinated by him. Lever collected many objects related to Napoleon including this death mask. Lever thought a lot of these objects had been owned by Napoleon or his close family although in reality not many of them were. In Napoleon s time it was the custom to make death masks of national leaders. Napoleon s death mask is one of the most well known. Death masks are true portraits. From the time of ancient Egypt they have served as aids to portrait sculptors, and for the last few centuries they have been kept as mementos of the dead. When a similar mask is made of a living person, it is called a life mask. 5

Objects in People and Portraits Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante (1792) by Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Lebrun Room 6 This painting is of Emma Hamilton, who was born Amy Lyon in Ness on the Wirral to a

6 Objects in People and Portraits Lady Hamilton as a Bacchante (1792) by Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Lebrun Room 6 This painting is of Emma Hamilton, who was born Amy Lyon in Ness on the Wirral to a blacksmith and a servant. Although she had humble beginnings Emma rose to celebrity status through her beauty and larger than life character. Emma was well-known for her attitudes, mimes and poses representing figures from myths and ancient history. This, along with her ability to hold poses and expressions like a professional model, inspired the great British painters of the day including George Romney and Joshua Reynolds to paint her portrait. In the 1700s it was uncommon to find a portrait of a smiling person, especially one showing their teeth. It was not respectable for smart, wealthy people to be seen grinning. Lack of dental care and poor diets with sweet treats often left adults at that time with rotting teeth or no teeth at all. This was not something the sitter would want to show! After your visit Post-visit discussion ideas and activities to support extension work back in the classroom Create 3D portraits using clay, plaster or plaster bandage to create a life mask. Links can be made to the work of contemporary artists e.g. Antony Gormley, sculptor or modern artist Jacob Epstein whose sculpture bust of Deirdre at the Lady Lever Art Gallery is in Room 10 (Main Hall). (Art & Design) Use Napoleon s Death mask in Room 9 to investigate death rituals from different cultures e.g. Mexican Day of the Dead. (History, Literacy/English) Design your own portrait stamp or currency. (Art & Design) Super size and super small. Experiment with proportion and scale in a portrait painting. (Art & Design, Numeracy/Maths) Write a story, poem or journal entry based on one of the people in the portraits or an artist. Based on fact or fiction construct a piece of creative writing based around that character. (Literacy/English) Look at how advertising uses portraits to sell products. (Art & Design, Literacy/ English) 6

SECONDARY KS3/4 ART & DESIGN TEACHER S GUIDE

SECONDARY KS3/4 ART & DESIGN TEACHER S GUIDE ART & DESIGN 2 INTRODUCTION Madame Tussauds unrivalled craftsmanship, multi-sensory experiences and captivating storytelling is the only place in the world where pupils can stand alongside extraordinary,