Art Around the World World Art    

Lesson 31: The Alarm Clock

by Diego Rivera

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the art region or artist.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Diego Rivera's 'The Alarm Clock' features a cubist perspective of items including an alarm clock, a guitar, and a design featuring the four card suites: spades, hearts, clubs, and diamonds. Bright colors and lines intersect throughout the work. The objects are fractured, painted from multiple perspectives.

Vocabulary

Alarm: A warning sound or device.
Alarm Clock: A clock with a device that can be made to sound at the time set in advance, used to wake someone up.
Cubism: An abstract style of painting that uses geometric shapes and multiple perspectives.
Spade: One of the four suits in a conventional deck of playing cards, denoted by a black inverted heart-shaped figure with a short stalk.
Heart: One of the four suits in a conventional deck of playing cards, often denoted by a red heart symbol.
Club: One of the four suits in a conventional deck of playing cards, denoted by a black trefoil.
Diamond: One of the four suits in a conventional deck of playing cards, often denoted by a red diamond.

Concepts

1. Mexican painter Robert Diego Rivera was born in 1886 in Guanajuato, Mexico. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Mexico, Rivera's country of birth, on the map below.

3. Rivera was born to a wealthy family.
4. When his parents caught him drawing on the walls at age three, they encouraged him to keep drawing by covering the walls in canvas and chalkboard.
5. At age ten, Rivera studied art in Mexico City at the Academy of San Carlos. As an adult, he studied art in Europe.
6. Rivera was married five times, twice to fellow artist Frida Kahlo.
7. Rivera died in 1957 at the age of 70 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Find the following in the artwork:

• Guitar Neck
• Guitar Tuning Stems (Knobs turned to tune guitar.)
• Guitar Body
• Clock
• Roman Numerals (On Clock)
• Heart Card
• Diamond Card
• Club Card
• Spade Card

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Complete Vocabulary Activities

• While studying the new words, point out any you see in the painting.
• Define each of the vocabulary words in your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 48 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the name of the painting style of 'The Alarm Clock?'

1 / 3

Answer 1

The painting style of 'The Alarm Clock' is cubism.

1 / 3

Question 2

What are the four card suites shown in 'The Alarm Clock?'

2 / 3

Answer 2

The four card suites are clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds.

2 / 3

Question 3

What objects does Rivera capture in the painting?

3 / 3

Answer 3

Objects include cards, a guitar, and an alarm clock.

3 / 3

❮ ❯

1. What is the name of the painting style of 'The Alarm Clock?' The painting style of 'The Alarm Clock' is cubism.
2. What are the four card suites shown in 'The Alarm Clock?' The four card suites are clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds.
3. What objects does Rivera capture in the painting? Objects include cards, a guitar, and an alarm clock.

References

'Diego Rivera.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Cubism.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.