Lavinia Fontana was born in Bologna, Italy in 1552 during the Renaissance. She was taught by her father, Prospero Fontana, to paint using the Mannerist style. He was a painter from the School of Bologna in Italy. She became one of the earliest women to paint commissioned portraits. Her paintings are known for their vibrant colors and the incredible attention to detail that Lavinia paid to clothing and jewelry. Lavinia is also known for painting religious scenes and was commissioned to create paintings for churches by religious figures including the Cardinal of Ascoli and the family of Pope Gregory XIII. She was honored to become a member of the Roman Academy. A lesser known painter from the same art school, named Gian Paolo Zappi, became her husband in 1577. He supported her career by working for her as her agent. Gian stayed at home to raise the 11 children that they had together.

Artist: Lavinia Fontana

Movement(s): Renaissance

Supplies needed:

Pencil, paper, acrylic paint, cup of water, brushes, paper towels, copy paper, heavy duty paper, mirror for those working on a self-portrait.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will develop confidence in portrait drawing.

• Fourth graders and above will learn how to draw the human face in proportion.

• Sixth grade and above will learn to draw the human body in proportion.

• Students will learn how to mix the primary colors and white using acrylic paint to create all the colors that they need.

• Students will learn about brush care and use of acrylic paints.

Essential Questions:

• Why might paintings of people have been important during Renaissance times?

• Are portraits still important now?

• How are portraits today similar and how are they different?

Hook:

Students will be asked to imagine that they have been commissioned to create a portrait of someone. Who is it?

Description:

The class will be introduced to artist Lavinia Fontana. After analyzing several of her paintings, students will be asked to consider the importance of portrait painting during Renaissance times compared to now and how the creation of portraits has changed or stayed the same.

Sequence:

Day 1: Intro to Lavinia Fontana, Critique/analysis of three paintings, essential

questions, hook, draft

Day 2: Completion of draft, final draft pencil drawing on heavy mixed media paper

Day 3: Intro to using acrylic paints and brushes and color mixing, use of acrylic paint

to complete the final draft

Day 4: Completion of final draft

Vocabulary:

Lavinia Fontana: A female Renaissance painter, one of the first to become well known for the creation of commissioned work.

The Renaissance (The Golden Age): An intellectual period of time in Europe that followed the Middle Ages and occurred between 1300 and 1700. During this period classic Greek philosophy inspired humanism within the European society and influenced arts, architecture, literature, and science. During this time frame, the use of linear perspective was developed in painting helping to enhance realism. Humanism was an emphasis on the importance of humans.

Mannerism: A style of painting developed during the Late Renaissance. This style developed around the exaggeration or elongation of the human figure.

Portrait: An image of person in a still position focusing on their face and shoulders. A portrait can be done as a drawing, a painting, an engraving, a sculpture, or a photograph.

Proportion: The relationship in size and position from on part of an object to another.