In the movie you will discover the background, logic and chaos of camouflage, and see connections between art and...
...and cultural forces of history, for example,
- links between Thayer’s work and life, and other artists and events
- the lifestyle of artists, their methods of observation, conservation and invention
- artistic concepts shown in the film
The Movie
Time - 45 to 80 minutes or more
- viewing may take place in 2 classes,
- option of an overnight or weekend writing assignment
Materials and equipment:
- DVD projection system
- for each student, copies of pre-viewing and post-viewing questions
Introduction - Teacher will provide 5-10 minute opening talk
- overview of Thayer biography
- links to sources of background material
Pre-viewing questions: 15-20 minutes
- for orientation to the film, students were given a few minutes before the movie to review the pre-viewing questions, and
- will jot down notes and answer them while watching
Post-viewing comments and questions - 15-40 minutes or overnight or weekend
- The post-viewing questions are more in-depth. Answers can be written and discussed in class or assigned as homework for later discussion.
- The post-viewing comment is to be written as a comment on the blog for all to share.
Assessments by teacher - Students can be assessed on the understanding of the film through their participation in discussions of the movie and in the quality of their answers to pre-viewing and post-viewing questions.
Evaluation by students - The film and curriculum can be evaluated by each student.
After-viewing Questions
Please answer four of the following questions using your finest writing, in two pages or less, double spaced. Due on ______________.
1. Wings. What was the meaning of the wings in Thayer’s figure paintings?
2. Solace. What events provoked Thayer’s despair and what did he do, where did he go, to find solace and peace of mind and heart?
3. “The mountain was the artist’s cathedral," wrote Richard Meryman. "He not only painted it, he saved it.” Explain.
4. What is meant by the "inverse" of painting? Why did Thayer turn to this new theme in art?
5. "You don't look at the painting to see what Mount Monadnock looked like. You look at the painting to see Thayer," said Richard Murray, senior curator, Smithsonian Museum of American Art. Describe what you can see in one of Thayer's paintings of the mountain.
