R.A.F.T.: Impressions of the Romantic Movement and the Industrial Revolution

Assignment: To demonstrate your knowledge of the Impressionist movement, the Romantic movement in literature, and how both of these use art as a way to react to the changing world during the Industrial Revolution, you will be asked to select a piece of art and an excerpt from a poem to show what you have learned.

Role:           A curator for the Impressionist Museum of Paris

Audience:     Museum attendees

Format:       A write-up to accompany the painting you’ve selected which discusses

F     The painter and the painting

F     The connection to the Romanticism/Industrial Revolution

F     An excerpt of a poem that fits with the painting

Topic:          You and the other guest curators have been asked to select works for a special

exhibit which connects the artistic period known as Impressionism to the literary period of Romanticism. The title of the exhibit is “Reactions and Responses to Revolution: The Industrial Movement in Art and Literature.” Your job is to select one impressionist painting which you feel has strong ties to Romanticism. Then, write up an informative piece which will hang next to the painting to help the museum guests better understand the painting, its historical context and its philosophical connection to the theme of the exhibit. You will be sharing these with other curators on March 20, 2008 and we will decide which ones will hang in our gallery.

Scoring Criteria:

Painting – has a representation that is worthy of hanging in our gallery, clearly labeled with the title of the work and the painter.

Content – The write-up clearly covers information that would assist a viewer in understanding the piece:

F     Pertinent/relevant background about the painter

F     Artistic commentary on the painting (Color choice, brush stroke, light, etc.)

F     Connection of work to the Romantic/Industrial Revolution

F     Excerpt of a poem that fits the painting (romantic)

Style

F     Uses clear, precise and direct language

F     Language is accessible to a wide-range of audience members who would attend a museum.

F     Write-up uses correct conventions

F     Length = one page,

F     Single spaced

F     No font smaller than 12 point; margins no less than .5” all around.