Master Collection activity 6: inspired by dreams
Children investigate and take inspiration from Agostino Carraci’s 16th century sketch A man drawing, another asleep.
They use this as the starting point for discussion, enquiry and a piece of creative writing, drama or collage.
Learning objectives
Increased knowledge and understanding of art and how it is made.
Develop skills and confidence in creative writing, drama and collage.
Curriculum links
KS1-4 Art (investigating art, create a collage)
KS1-2 History (the Renaissance and Renaissance art).
KS1-2 English (drama, creative writing)
Explore Agostino Carraci’s 16th century sketch A man drawing, another asleep with the class on the interactive whiteboard at Learn with Objects Master Collection 6. Ask the children the following questions:
- What are the two men in the picture doing?
- Where are they?
- What can we tell about them from their clothes?
- What do you think the man on the left is drawing or writing about?
- Why do you think the man on the right is so tired?
- What might have happened the night before?
- How was the picture made?
- What could the artist do if he made a mistake? (nothing! You have to be an exceptionally good and confident artist to draw in ink)
- Did it start as a single picture? (no, it’s two separate ones pasted together)
- Can you see the join?
Discuss some ideas why the artist might have joined two separate sketches together.
Creative writing:
Ask pupils to imagine what the man is drawing or writing:
- What is the sleeping man dreaming about?
- What’s he been doing?
- What will happen next?
Drama:
- Ask pupils in pairs to recreate the scene and what happened before or after in a short piece of drama
Creative Activity: Collage
- Find images of figure drawings and get pupils to combine two or more in a new composition
- Ask pupils to add something in the space above and/or below the sleeping man
Learn with Objects links
Use Learn with Objects Master Collection 6: a man sketching, another asleep