Adventures in Art History Art Adventures    

Lesson 20: Girl in White in the Woods

by Vincent van Gogh

Directions

Study the painting for one week.

Over the week:

• Look at the painting.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the artist.
• Practice reciting the names of the artist and the painting.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

In Vincent van Gogh's own words, 'A Girl in the Woods' features .'..some large green beech trunks on a stretch of ground covered with dry sticks, and the little figure of a girl in white. There was the great difficulty of keeping it clear, and of getting space between the trunks standing at different distances - and the place and relative bulk of those trunks change with the perspective - to make it so that one can breathe and walk around in it, and to make you smell the fragrance of the wood.'

Vocabulary

Beech (tree): A large tree with smooth gray bark, glossy leaves, and the beechnut fruit.
Trunk: The main woody stem of a tree.
Roots: The part of a plant that attaches it into the ground.

Concepts

Vincent van Gogh painted 'Girl in White in the Woods.'

1. Vincent van Gogh was born on March 30, 1853 in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. See his picture below.

2. Find Van Gogh's country of birth on the map of Europe below.

3. Van Gogh mostly taught himself how to paint. Van Gogh stated, 'Painters understand nature and love it, and teach us to see.'
4. Although he is famous now and his works are worth millions of dollars, he was poor and unknown while alive. Van Gogh had a tough time in life. He suffered from mental illness and spent time in an asylum.
5. Van Gogh is reputed to have cut off his own ear, although some historians now believe he might have lied to protect his friend and fellow artist, Paul Gauguin, who may have cut Van Gogh's ear off with a sword during an argument.
6. Van Gogh died in 1890 at the age of 37 in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

During the week, study the painting and find the following:

• Trees
• Trunks
• Roots
• Girl
• Hat
• Dress
• Sticks

Activity 2: Narrate the Painting

• After studying the painting, narrate the scene shown in the painting aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the vocabulary words, point them out in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Painting   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 27 of 'Kindergarten Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the painting?

1 / 4

Answer 1

A girl wearing white.

1 / 4

Question 2

What is the setting of the painting?

2 / 4

Answer 2

Outside in the woods.

2 / 4

Question 3

What is girl in the woods wearing?

3 / 4

Answer 3

A white dress and hat.

3 / 4

Question 4

Why do you think the girl is in the woods?

4 / 4

Answer 4

Answers will vary.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the painting? A girl wearing white.
2. What is the setting of the painting? Outside in the woods.
3. What is girl in the woods wearing? A white dress and hat.
4. Why do you think the girl is in the woods? Answers will vary.

References

'Vincent van Gogh.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.