In American artist John Lewis Krimmel's 'Country Wedding,' family and friends cram into small room in a country house for a modest wedding ceremony. Two birds, a cat, and a dog witness the spectacle. The bride and bridegroom hold hands and incline their heads toward one another as the officiant leads the ceremony. A girl sitting on a stool tries to make a small boy holding a whip behave. One woman wipes a tear from her eye. The best man and maid of honor pay more attention to the distractions of the wedding guests than the nuptials.
Vocabulary
Bride: A woman on her wedding day or just before and after the event. Bridegroom: A man on his wedding day or just before and after the event. Officiant: A person, typically a priest or minister, who performs a religious service or ceremony. Best Man: A male friend or relative chosen by a bridegroom to assist him at his wedding. Maid of Honor: An unmarried woman acting as principal bridesmaid at a wedding. Nuptials: A wedding.
Concepts
Genre art paintings show common people going about their regular lives, including people shopping, dancing, eating, celebrating, working, traveling, and holding ceremonies such as weddings.
Use of the term 'genre' is pretty confusing in the art world, because 'genre' refers both to categories of art (portrait genre, space art genre, landscape genre, etc.) as well as this specific category of art (genre art genre).
Genre paintings are historically the third-most respected type of painting, after history and portrait paintings.
See below additional examples of genre art paintings: 1) Gustave Courbet's 'The Stone Breakers,' 2) Norman Rockwell's' 'Freedom of Worship,' and 3) Judith Leyster's 'A Game of Cards.'
Enrichment
Activity 1: Can You Find It?
Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:
Bride
Groom
Officiant
Dog
Cat
Birds
Best Man
Maid of Honor
Grandfather Clock
Jug
Pitcher
Whip
Hat
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 58 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'
Review
Question 1
Who are the characters in the artwork?
1 / 6
Answer 1
The characters are members of a wedding party, the wedding officiant, and additional wedding guests.
1 / 6
Question 2
What is the setting of the artwork?
2 / 6
Answer 2
The setting is in a country home.
2 / 6
Question 3
What are some clues as to the chaos currently detracting from the wedding ceremony?
3 / 6
Answer 3
Many of the wedding guests, the maid of honor, and the best man are distracted and not watching the ceremony.
3 / 6
Question 4
Are the families of the bride and groom wealthy or of more modest means?
4 / 6
Answer 4
The families of the bride and groom are most likely of modest means, since they are holding the wedding in a cramped room with very few wedding guests.
4 / 6
Question 5
What clues do you see that reveal the love and affection between the bride and groom?
5 / 6
Answer 5
The bride and bridegroom hold hands and incline their heads toward one another.
Who are the characters in the artwork?
The characters are members of a wedding party, the wedding officiant, and additional wedding guests.
What is the setting of the artwork?
The setting is in a country home.
What are some clues as to the chaos currently detracting from the wedding ceremony?
Many of the wedding guests, the maid of honor, and the best man are distracted and not watching the ceremony.
Are the families of the bride and groom wealthy or of more modest means?
The families of the bride and groom are most likely of modest means, since they are holding the wedding in a cramped room with very few wedding guests.
What clues do you see that reveal the love and affection between the bride and groom?
The bride and bridegroom hold hands and incline their heads toward one another.
Into which genre is this painting classified?
This painting falls into the genre art category.
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