Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 6: Cityscape - View of Delft

by Johannes Vermeer

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

Johannes Vermeer's 'View of Delft' shows the city of Delft in the Netherlands. This cityscape painting is noteworthy as it was completed in 1661, a time before cityscapes became common. The painting features one of the canals which flow within the city. Two peasant women talk alongside the canal. Further to the left, next to a barge in the water, two men chat with a woman, and another woman holds a child. Smaller figures go about their business on the far side of the canal, where sailing ships are moored. At the far right of the painting, the Rotterdam gate stands under double turrets. The dignified, white New Church tower presides as the highest building in the area, dwarfing the grayish Old Church tower, which breaks the plane of red roofs to the far left. The lightly rippled water has a glossy sheen and reflects the shadows of the buildings.

Vocabulary

Peasant: A poor farmer of low social status who owns or rents a small piece of land for cultivation.
Canal: An artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland or to convey water for irrigation.
Barge: A flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight, typically on canals and rivers, either under its own power or towed by another.
Turret: A small tower on top of a larger tower or at the corner of a building or wall, typically of a castle.

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:

• Two Peasant Women Talking
• Two Men
• Woman and Child
• Barge
• Sailing Ships
• New Church
• Old Church
• Rotterdam Gate
• Canal

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 the Netherlands, the location of the painting.

Activity 4: Color the Netherlands on the Map of Europe   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 12 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 13 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 the city of Delft in the Netherlands.

1 / 4

Question 2

Who are the characters in the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The characters are peasant women, two men speaking with a woman, a mother and child, and various other people in the city of Delft.

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 window-level view of Delft.

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 the city of Delft in the Netherlands.
2. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are peasant women, two men speaking with a woman, a mother and child, and various other people in the city of Delft.
3. What is the vantage point in the painting - bird's eye, panoramic, window-level, or street-level? This painting shows a window-level view of Delft.
4. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the cityscape genre.

References

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

'View of Delft.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.