Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 3: Landscape - Rain in an Oak Forest

by Ivan Shishkin

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's genre.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Ivan Shishkin's 'Rain in an Oak Forest' shows three figures picking their way up a muddy road. The man farthest from the viewer carries what appears to be a gun. The lady lifts her brown skirts and holds the gentleman's arm as they shelter under an umbrella. The emerald green of the foliage glows bright in the foreground, despite the fog graying the colors in the distance. The painting enables the viewer to imagine the cool spritz of misty air against their skin and the splashing sound of footsteps through the puddles.

Vocabulary

Foliage: Plant leaves, collectively.
Fog: A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth's surface that obscures or restricts visibility.

Concepts

1. Landscape paintings focus on panoramic views of beautiful scenery such as sweeping plains, majestic mountains, green valleys, towering forests, and rushing rivers.
2. People may or may not appear in landscape paintings.
3. Landscape paintings may be based on real places or dreamed up in the imagination of the artist.
4. The first known landscape paintings originated in Minoan Greece around 1500 BCE.
5. There are two major traditions of landscape paintings. One originated in China and the other centered around Europe.
6. In China, landscape paintings were among the most prized and celebrated, while in Europe, landscape paintings were often viewed as inferior to paintings of other genres.
7. See below examples of western (Europe - Italy) and eastern (China) landscapes. To the left, is the landscape, 'The Madonna of the Rabbit,' by Italian painter Titian. To the right, is the landscape, 'A Fisher in Autumn,' by Chinese painter Tang Yin.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Puddle
• Fog
• Man Carrying a Gun
• Woman Lifting Skirts
• Man Under an Umbrella
• Stump
• Moss
• Rocks
• Downed Branches
• Foliage

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

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

Activity 3: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 7 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

What is the setting of the artwork?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The setting of the artwork is a misty wood.

1 / 4

Question 2

Who are the characters in the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The characters include the scouting man with the gun and the lady and gentlemen under the umbrella.

2 / 4

Question 3

Into which genre is this painting classified?

3 / 4

Answer 3

This painting falls into the landscape genre.

3 / 4

Question 4

What types of typical landscape landforms are featured in this painting?

4 / 4

Answer 4

This painting features the woods, which are commonly represented in landscape paintings.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting of the artwork is a misty wood.
2. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters include the scouting man with the gun and the lady and gentlemen under the umbrella.
3. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the landscape genre.
4. What types of typical landscape landforms are featured in this painting? This painting features the woods, which are commonly represented in landscape paintings.

References

'Landscape Painting.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.