Wilhelm von Kaulbach

Andrew Howat

Materials for the lesson

Paintings that present the historic theme of a lesson. Here the Naval Battle of Salamis.
For this case study we have chosen 2 paintings:

a. Wilhelm von Kaulbach of 1868.

http://www.ancientgreecereloaded.com/files/ancient_greece_reloaded_website/ wars_and_battles/peloponnesian_wars_gr.php

b. A contemporary but The classicism style painting of  Andrew Howat (20^th century)

[http://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-GB/collections/new-collections/look-and-learn-collection].

Large printed images of the paintings or even better, to see them via the schools video projector and a laptop.
The Teacher can choose two or more paintings that will give him/her a chance for discussion for the historic event but also the artistic value and themes of the work of art.

It is advisable not to use illustrations or posters that have no aesthetic value.

Layout of the classroom

The desks at normal position for viewing the projection.

1^st Phase

The teacher could start by narrating the historic fact by presenting first another artistic object such as a map of the area. In this case the narrow ways between Athens, Salamis and Psitalia and the position of the Naval armies of the Greeks and the Persians. The images of the Greek Ship (trireme) and its description.

2^nd Phase

Presentation and projection of the painting.

The Historic Event
The teacher point out 3-4 details of the painting that have a common route with his/her lesson.
In Kaulbach’s painting these are:
Α. Right and center the Greek trireme with the leading figure of Themistocles on it, the warriors and the skimmer next to him. (this detail gives a chance to refer to Themistocles (subtheme 3) and his decisions (Wooden walls etc) and also to the march “Oh children of the Greeks you are…”
Β. The horror of the Naval battle with the drowned and the  warriors trying to save themselves.                     C. Left the presence of Xerxis on his throne at mount Egaleon and his agony to give orders (subtheme 2).

D. The disrupted sea full of people and ship wreck pieces.

E. The transcended figures-presences in the painting (in front of Xerxis there is a figure like Poseidon and in the font in the sky there are three warriors, also 3 women figures like the Nereids, daughters of Poseidon) that give the children to imagine and guess what they are and create their own narration upon the painting. Upon the fact, the characters, historic figures and the conflicts.

3^rd Phase

Activity
The lesson can continue with drawings by the children or by creating a small novel that they can draw or draw upon themes that do not directly concern the historic fact but the sensibility of the students towards the fact (How would the feel as part of such a catastrophe etc.)

4^th Phase

The Artistic approach of the lesson.
In a lesson that the teacher chooses to do via classic paintings and therefore chooses a parallel artistic education, the historic fact is not the only important object of knowledge. It matters that the children should be introduced to the Great Works of Art and acquire a method of approach.

What do we enjoy when seeing a painting?
Why do we visit Museums?
What do we notice in a painting? (apart from the “touristic” view)
The importance of the details of a painting and how do we focus on them.
What individual “narrations” does a painting offer by exciting our personal imagination?                                  Yes the above painting tells us the Naval Battle of Salamis in general but
a. The woman (down center) that is trying to hold on to a piece of the ship, what individual “story” does she have to tell?
b. What is the “story” of the exhausted man on the right, with the red clothing bowing down his head?