Presented by

Lesson Plans—Activities
Investigating the Avant-Garde

Artists who try to do something new and unexpected often have a tough fight for recognition and acceptance. Investigate how impressionist painters and their successors reacted against traditional French painting. As a class, begin by looking at the work of Alexandre Cabanel and Adolphe William Bouguereau, popular artists of the late 19th century. Contrast their work with that of artists in the exhibition. Students should provide reasons for which style, traditional or avant-garde, they like better. Using these observations and the following questions, stage a debate in class and assign students to argue in support of the establishment or the avant-garde.

Questions about the artists and their work

• How was the artist’s work new and different for his time?
• Describe how critics perceived this artist in the late 19th century.
• What is his reputation now?
• Discuss how we respond to avant-garde artists today. Why does historical perspective change our perceptions of artists? How is this true also for historical events?

As an extension, select a contemporary work of art, and have students write a critique and compare viewpoints. Predict how this work might be viewed 100 years from now.