Teaching children about paintings such as the Mona Lisa can help get children interested in art.
Teaching art is one lesson educators can use to get children interested in artwork. This can lead towards children being interested in creating their own works of art and understanding the historical significance of famed works of art. Certain paintings, such as the Mona Lisa, can inspire children in a variety of ways.
Portrait Painting
For younger children, one of the most intriguing and instrumental lessons learned by studying the Mona Lisa is that children learn about painting pictures of others. This can then be used to help children become self-aware of who they are as they learn to assess a subject to paint. You can further use the Mona Lisa as a lesson plan by discussing the history and significance of the painting itself. The Mona Lisa can also be used to show children how detailed paintings can be so realistic that the art almost looks like a photograph.
Art History
Teaching art history, through discussing the lives and times of artists, can help children better understand prior periods in time. The Mona Lisa helps illustrate the techniques associated with painting in the 1500s. This painting can be a segue into lessons regarding other artists and lifestyle commonalities during the same time frame. Explaining to children how paintings used more muted tones during the 1500s helps give children insight into the era. You can also discuss the aging process of oil paintings, such as the Mona Lisa, and explain how the original painting has faded over time.
Leonardo da Vinci Lessons
If you are starting to teach children about individual artists and their contributions to society, you most likely will discuss Leonardo da Vinci. With the Mona Lisa being such a highly recognizable painting, it is an excellent choice for children just beginning to appreciate art. You can supplement teaching about the Mona Lisa and da Vinci's contributions to the art world by showing children other examples of his work such as The Vitruvian Man, The Last Supper and Virgin of the Rocks.
European Influence
The Mona Lisa can be used during lessons involving European influences on the rest of the world. Leonardo da Vinci, being of Italian descent, impacted the art world through a variety of mediums including oil paintings and drawings. You can use the Mona Lisa as one example of how a European work of art has permeated culture throughout the world and continues to be a draw at museums to this day. This also helps illustrate the longevity associated with great works of art as generations for centuries have admired such paintings and continue to do so.
