Painters Born in the 1800s 1800s Painters    

Lesson 30: Mayan Ruins, Yucatan

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

Inspired by exotic engravings in a book about adventures in the Yucatán, Robert Scott Duncan painted an imaginary view of Mayan ruins. The Yucatán is a state of Mexico famous for its beautiful beaches and Mayan ruins. The Maya was a civilization originating in the Yucatán thousands of years ago (2600 B.C.). The Maya people still inhabit Mexico and Central America today.

Vocabulary

Yucatán: A state of Mexico famous for its beautiful beaches and Mayan ruins.
Mayans: A civilization originating in the Yucatán thousands of years ago (2600 B.C.).
Ruins: The remains of a building, settlement, town, or city, typically an old one.
Mexico: A country located in southern North America, south of the United States.
Civilization: The society, culture, and way of life of a particular area.

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
• Ruins
• Vegetation Growing from the Ruins
• Sculpted Figure of a Person
• Ruins Entrances

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 39 of 'First Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the painting?

1 / 3

Answer 1

The characters are the people visiting the Mayan ruins.

1 / 3

Question 2

What are the characters doing?

2 / 3

Answer 2

The characters are looking at the ruins.

2 / 3

Question 3

What is the setting of the painting?

3 / 3

Answer 3

The setting is the Mayan ruins in present-day Mexico.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the painting? The characters are the people visiting the Mayan ruins.
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 Mayan ruins in present-day Mexico.

References

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

'Mayan Ruins, Yucatan.' Wikimedia Commons. Commons.wikimedia.org. n.p.