Why do artists make paintings?
Fourth graders focus on the topic of painting during their visits to the National Gallery of Art. To consider the question "Why do artists make paintings?" they study the works of Paul Cézanne and identify the subjects of paintings: portrait, landscape, still life, and genre. In the studio, students create their own still-life paintings by examining a fruit or vegetable closely, then painting a small detail, paying special attention to textures and color.