Painters Born in the 1800s 1800s Painters    

Lesson 29: Vesuvius and Pompeii

by Robert Scott Duncanson

Directions

Study the painting for one week.

Over the week:

• Look at the painting.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the artist.
• Practice reciting the names of the artist and the painting.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

Also inspired by his travels to Italy, Robert Scott Duncanson's 'Vesuvius and Pompeii' pairs the smoking volcano, Mount Vesuvius, with various Roman ruins including the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. On the right, two men in suits engage in discussion. One of the men sits on the crumbling steps of an ancient amphitheater. In the center, between two bodies of water, three people enjoy the view. Ribbed pillars jut into the sky, one still topped by an ancient sculpture. A painting that once adorned a wall still stands, retaining its color in defiance of time and weather.

Vocabulary

Vesuvius: A volcano near Naples, Italy.
Pompeii: An ancient Roman town in near present-day Naples, Italy.
Ruins: The remains of a building, settlement, town, or city, typically an old one.
Ancient: Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence.
Volcano: A cone shaped mountain or hill with a crater or vent through which lava, rock, hot vapor, and gas periodically escape from under the earth.
Pillar: A tall vertical structure of stone, wood, or metal, used as a support for a building.
Amphitheater: A round or oval building, typically unroofed, with a central space for the presentation of dramatic or sporting events.

Concepts

1. American landscape painter Robert Scott Duncanson was born in 1821 in Fayette, New York.

2. Zoom in and find Duncanson's birth state on the map of the United States.

3. His father was an emancipated Virginia slave.
4. As a young man, he painted houses, but longed to become an artist.
5. At that time, there were few, if any, opportunities for black people in America to formally study art, so Duncanson taught himself to paint.
6. Through determination, he overcame many obstacles. Consequently, he became a successful artist and traveled the world, capturing some of his adventures in paint.
7. Duncanson died in 1872 at the age of 51 in Detroit, Michigan.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

During the week, study the painting and find the following:

• People
• Painting
• Mount Vesuvius
• Ruins
• Smoke
• Lake
• Old Pillars
• Mountains
• Amphitheater

Activity 2: Narrate the Painting

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

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the vocabulary words, point them out in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Painting   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 38 of 'First Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the painting?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The characters are the people visiting the ancient city of Pompeii.

1 / 4

Question 2

What are the characters doing?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The characters are looking at the ruins.

2 / 4

Question 3

What is the setting of the painting?

3 / 4

Answer 3

The setting is the ancient Roman town of Pompeii.

3 / 4

Question 4

What expels smoke in the painting?

4 / 4

Answer 4

A volcano named Mount Vesuvius.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the painting? The characters are the people visiting the ancient city of Pompeii.
2. What are the characters doing? The characters are looking at the ruins.
3. What is the setting of the painting? The setting is the ancient Roman town of Pompeii.
4. What expels smoke in the painting? A volcano named Mount Vesuvius.

References

'Robert Scott Duncanson.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Robert Duncanson-Vesuvius n Pompeii 1870.' Wikimedia Commons. Commons.wikimedia.org. n.p.