Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 5: Cityscape - New York

by George Bellows

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

In George Bellows' cityscape, 'New York,' a bustling crowd of pedestrians, carts, trucks, trolley cars, and horses struggle to travel to their destinations. Many-windowed skyscrapers and belligerent advertisements tower over the hustle and chaos of the city. The heavy winter coats, bare trees, and the patch of snow covering a park reveal the season is winter. This cityscape depicts an imaginary composite of multiple places in New York City. The painting, completed in 1911, captures a unique time of transition, when horses still travel among motorized vehicles on the city roads.

Vocabulary

Pedestrian: A person walking along a road or in a developed area.
Trolley Car: A passenger vehicle powered by electricity obtained from an overhead cable by means of a trolley wheel.
Skyscraper: A very tall building of many stories.
Composite: Made up of various parts or elements.
Advertisement: A notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event.

Concepts

1. Cityscape artwork depicts the buildings, people, streets, urban transportation, and activities of large cities.
2. Artwork featuring smaller towns may be referred to as townscapes.
3. Cityscapes were recognized as a distinct genre of art starting in the Netherlands in the 17th century.
4. Cityscapes show multiple vantage points, including bird's eye views, panoramic views, street-level views, or window-level views.
5. Examine Erwin Pendl's bird's eye cityscape drawing, 'Bird's-Eye View of Vienna from Getreidemarkt,' Louis-Léopold Boilly's street-level cityscape, 'Passer Payez,' and Camille Pissarro's window-level view cityscape, 'Boulevard Montmartre.'

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Trolley
• Horses
• Trucks
• Man Shoveling Snow
• Policeman
• Snowy Park
• Skyscrapers
• Windows
• Trees
• Advertisements

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

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

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

Zoom in to find New York City in New York state (labeled NYC), the location of the cityscape.

Activity 4: Color the Map of New York   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 10 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 11 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 painting is New York City.

1 / 4

Question 2

Who are the characters in the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The characters are the people in New York City.

2 / 4

Question 3

What is the vantage point in the painting - bird's eye, panoramic, window-level, or street-level?

3 / 4

Answer 3

This painting shows a street-level view of New York City.

3 / 4

Question 4

Into which genre is this painting classified?

4 / 4

Answer 4

This painting falls into the cityscape genre.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting of the painting is New York City.
2. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are the people in New York City.
3. What is the vantage point in the painting - bird's eye, panoramic, window-level, or street-level? This painting shows a street-level view of New York City.
4. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the cityscape genre.

References

'Cityscape.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.