Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 15: Still Life (Trompe-l'oeil) - Music and Good Luck

by William Michael Harnett

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 artwork's genre.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Irish-American painter William Michael Harnett's still life, 'Music and Good Luck,' presents a special kind of still life painting called 'trompe-l'oeil,' which means 'deceive the eye.' Trompe-l'oeil artists use optical illusions to create two-dimensional paintings with the appearance of three-dimensions. Look closely at 'Music and Good Luck' to see how Hartnett employed imperfections, perspective, texture, and shading to suggest realism and three-dimensions. This work strives to accentuate the viewer's sense of reality by highlighting flaws instead of hiding them. Painted flaws include the rusted metals, splintered wood, nail holes, stains, and rips.

Vocabulary

Still Life: A painting or drawing of an arrangement of objects, typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware.
Trompe-l'oeil: Visual illusion in art, especially as used to trick the eye into perceiving a painted detail as a three-dimensional object.
Optical Illusion: Something that deceives the eye by appearing to be other than it is.
Two-Dimensional: Having or appearing to have length and breadth but no depth.
Three-Dimensional: Having or appearing to have length, breadth, and depth.
Hasp: A slotted hinged metal plate that forms part of a fastening for a door or lid and is fitted over a metal loop and secured by a pin or padlock.
Calling Card: A card bearing a person's name and/or address, sent or left in lieu of a formal social or business visit.

Concepts

1. Still life genre artwork features inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, books, musical instruments, and bowls and other dinnerware.
2. Still lifes may include small bugs or other living creatures, but breathing, moving things are not the focus of paintings classified in the genre.
3. Although still lifes are not a well-respected form of painting artistically, still lifes sell well commercially.
4. Still lifes may contain animals, although the animals in still lifes are typically non-living unlike animal art where the animals are alive.
5. Four common types of still life include 1) Flowers, 2) Fruit, 3) Non-living animals, and 4) Symbolic.
6. See below examples of the four common types of still lifes: 1) Hans Memling's 'Vase of Flowers' (Flowers), 2) Fede Galizia's 'Maiolica Basket of Fruit' (Fruit), 3) Giacomo Francesco Cipper's 'Still Life of Fish and Shellfish' (Non-living animals), and 4) 'Vanitas' by Harmen Steenwijck (Symbolic).

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Something Stained
• Something Rusted
• Something Ripped
• Something Open
• Something Etched
• Something Unlocked
• Hinge
• Fiddle
• Bow
• Horseshoe
• Piccolo
• Sheet Music of Old Irish Song
• Notes
• Hartnett's Calling Card
• Cupboard Door
• Hasp on a Hook
• Nails
• Nail Holes
• Matches and Matchbox
• 1888

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

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

Activity 3: Map the Artist

Zoom in on the map of Europe to find Ireland, the birth country of the artist.

Activity 4: Color Ireland on the World Map   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 33 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 34 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 6

Answer 1

There are no human characters, which is typical of most still lifes.

1 / 6

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 6

Answer 2

The setting is most likely indoors in a house.

2 / 6

Question 3

List imperfect items in the painting.

3 / 6

Answer 3

Imperfect items include the wooden door with nail holes, the rusted hasp and padlock, the stained and ripped sheet music, and the rusted horseshoe.

3 / 6

Question 4

Which musical instruments are featured in the painting?

4 / 6

Answer 4

Musical instruments include the fiddle and the piccolo.

4 / 6

Question 5

Into which genre is this painting classified?

5 / 6

Answer 5

This painting falls into the still life genre.

5 / 6

Question 6

What special type of still life is the painting?

6 / 6

Answer 6

This painting is a trompe-l'oeil still life.

6 / 6

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? There are no human characters, which is typical of most still lifes.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is most likely indoors in a house.
3. List imperfect items in the painting. Imperfect items include the wooden door with nail holes, the rusted hasp and padlock, the stained and ripped sheet music, and the rusted horseshoe.
4. Which musical instruments are featured in the painting? Musical instruments include the fiddle and the piccolo.
5. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the still life genre.
6. What special type of still life is the painting? This painting is a trompe-l'oeil still life.

References

'Trompe-l'oeil.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Harnett's Music and Good Luck.' The Metropolitan Museum of Art. metmuseum.org/pubs/bulletins/1/pdf/3258891.pdf.bannered.pdf. n.p.

'Still Life.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.