In Print and Paint: Picturing Identity through the Self-Portrait and Autobiography
 
Overview of Lesson

Students will be introduced to the remarkable parallels and meaningful connections between self-portraits and autobiographies through a self-portrait and memoirs of artist Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun. Then they will write autobiographical poems both as a class and individually.

Objectives

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the ways self-portraits and autobiographies reflect the time, place, and culture in which they were created.
• Students will communicate an understanding of the parallels between the self-portrait and the autobiography and their purposes.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of autobiography by writing, as a class, an autobiographical poem based on Vigee-Lebrun’s portrait.
• Students will demonstrate an expression of personal identity by individually writing autographical poems.
  

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)
State Educational Objectives for Art, Grade 8

8.1 Perception. The student develops and organizes ideas from the environment.

8.2 Historical/Cultural Heritage. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture as records of human achievement.

8.3 Response/Evaluation. The student makes informed judgments about personal artworks and the artworks of others.

TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)
State Educational Objectives for English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 8

8.8c The student is expected to read for varied purposes such as to be informed, to be entertained, to appreciate the writer’s craft, and to discover models for his/her own writing.

8.12e The student is expected to understand literary forms by recognizing and distinguishing among such types of text such as myths, fables, tall tales, limericks, plays, biographies, autobiographies, tragedy, and comedy.

8.15c The student is expected to write to inform, such as to explain, describe, report, and narrate.

Materials and Resources

• (Available for check-out from The Grace Museum) Elizabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun. Self-Portrait in a Straw Hat, National Gallery, London, after 1782, http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/; print available from Crystal Productions, 1-800-255-8629, http://www.crystalproductions.com (call or email for free catalog), one of five prints in the set Artist Self-Portraits
• Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun, http://www.nmwa.org/legacy/bios/bvlebrun.htm#r1
• Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Lebrun, http://www.batguano.com/vigee.html
• Goodden, Angelica. The Sweetness of Life: A Biography of Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Lebrun. London: Andre Deutsch, 1997.
• Sheriff, Mary D. The Exceptional Woman: Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun and the Cultural Politics of Art. University of Chicago Press, 1996.
• Chalkboard or overhead projector
• 2 overhead transparencies--Parallels Between Art and Writing (one version without characteristics; one version with characteristics)
• Overhead transparency--List of Autobiographies
• Handouts on the artist and the image
• Handout of autobiographical poem outline
• Overhead transparency of lesson rubric

Planning and Preparation

Become familiar with the background information about the artist and the painting. Make overhead transparencies, one each of the two different Parallels between Art and Writing, one of the unit vocabulary, and one of the assessment rubric at the end of the lesson. Duplicate a classroom set of the artist biographical information, self-portrait, and poetic interpretations. Become familiar with the discussion questions and possible answers listed in the body of the lesson. Display the reproduction.

Background Information for Teachers

The characteristics of the portrait are amplified in the self-portrait, a subject long undertaken by artists, using a model who is always available (and at no cost). The self-portrait is the optimum opportunity for an artist to make the most pleasing or piercing revelation of his or her character and personality. Artists choose to represent themselves objectively or present a more personal expression of their personalities or characters. A self-portrait is the most personal story an artist can tell.