Understanding Propaganda through American Art

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Understanding Propaganda through American Art

• By
• Mary Cadigan, Halina Fuja, Dina Koustas, Mila
  Ostojic, and Agatha Panait
• Gray School

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Washington Crossing the Delaware

• Emanuel Leutze (American 18161868), Washington
  Crossing the Delaware, 1851, oil on canvas 149 x
  255 in. (378.5 x 647.7 cm.). The Metropolitan
  Museum of Art, Gift of John Stewart Kennedy, 1897
  (97.34)

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Romancing our Students

• "In the face of our common dangers, in this
  winter of our hardship, let us remember these
  timeless words. Let it be said by our children's
  children that when we were tested we refused to
  let this journey end, that we did not turn back
  nor did we falter and with eyes fixed on the
  horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth
  that great gift of freedom and delivered it
  safely to future generations."
• - President Barack Obamas Inaugural Address

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Key Ideas about the artwork that informed the
lesson

• Like words, art images can inform, persuade, and
  manipulate
• Leutzes deliberate inaccuracies in Washington
  Crossing served his own political agenda
• An image can have different meanings for
  audiences of different times and placesin fact a
  familiar image can serve as the vehicle for
  political satire and humor

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What students learned

• How to analyze text and images for their direct
  and indirect messages
• To appreciate art for its power to present ideas
  and express emotional and symbolic meaning
• Historical context via different venues
• How propaganda and political satire can relate to
  works of art

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Learning Activities

• Anticipation Guide
• Observation vs. Interpretation Activity
• Close Read
• Web Quest

• Obamas Inaugural Speech / Painting (comparison
  activity)
• Political cartoons (view create)

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Anticipation Guide
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Anticipation Guide
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• Observation vs. Interpretation Activity

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Obamas Inaugural Speech / Painting (comparison
activity)
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Analyzing and Creating Political Cartoons
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Student Reflections

• I learned so much about how art is like
  reading - 5th grade student
• I like learning about how Leutze ran away from
  Germany because his father wanted freedom
  Gabriel and Carlos, 5th grade students
• I liked learning how propaganda is everywhere
  Leslie, 8th grade student
• I liked interpreting the story behind the
  picture Monica, 7th Grade student
• I learned that pictures sometimes have
  mistakes, and that artists sometimes put their
  thoughts and feelings into the painting
  Christian , 7th grade student

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What We Learned

• Students need to know art vocabulary to be able
  to analyze paintings
• Students need to be familiar with the historical
  context
• Students need time to enjoy and contemplate art
• ELL and special needs students benefit from
  alternative ways of learning