Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 4: Landscape - Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx

by Joachim Patinir

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

Joachim Patinir's 'Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx' is a special type of landscape painting called a 'world landscape.' World landscapes portray expansive views-on-high of imaginary lands populated by tiny figures and sometimes include real world landmarks. 'Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx' shows the character, Charon, from two works of literature, Virgil's Aeneid and Dante's Inferno. Charon ferries the souls of the dead from the land of the living to the land of Hades. In the paining, Charon, ferries a soul down the river Styx. The soul must choose between the angelic glories of Heaven on the left and the demonic fires of Hell on the right. Note the inclusion of Cerberus, the three-headed dog, who guards the gates of hell.

Vocabulary

Charon: A mythological ferryman who takes souls of the dead from the land of the living to the land of the dead.
Styx: A mythological river that joins the land of the living and the land of the dead.
Hades: A mythological underworld of the dead.
Cerberus: A mythological three-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld (hell in the painting).

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:

• Charon
• Styx
• Soul
• Heaven
• Angels
• Peacock
• Deer
• Hell
• Gate of Hell
• Cerberus
• Fires of Hell

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 8 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 4: Create Your Own Landscape   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 9 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'
• Using crayons, color pencils, pastels, or paint, create your own landscape.
• Beforehand, discuss whether you plan to include sweeping plains, majestic mountains, green valleys, towering forests, or rushing rivers.

Review

Question 1

What is the setting of the artwork?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The setting is the river Styx between Heaven and Hell.

1 / 4

Question 2

Who are the characters in the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The main characters are the ferrier Charon and the soul in the boat. Angels and Cerberuses are also characters.

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

Which types of common landscape landforms are featured in this painting?

4 / 4

Answer 4

This painting features landscape landforms including forests, mountains, valleys, and rivers.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is the river Styx between Heaven and Hell.
2. Who are the characters in the artwork? The main characters are the ferrier Charon and the soul in the boat. Angels and Cerberuses are also characters.
3. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the landscape genre.
4. Which types of common landscape landforms are featured in this painting? This painting features landscape landforms including forests, mountains, valleys, and rivers.

References

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

'World Landscape.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.