Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 28: Space Art - Astronomers Studying an Eclipse

by Antoine Caron

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

Antoine Caron's 'Astronomers Studying an Eclipse' shows people responding to a solar eclipse. Lightning streaks across the clouds as the sun looms dark in a red sky. Closest to the viewer, a putto scribbles something on a notebook. The bearded gentleman in black uses a pointer to prod an armillary sphere. Behind the gentleman in black, a man wears a red robe, leans over, and draws or measures on paper with a compass. The central figure in red holds a book and points up to the sky. A man in white, holds a tan celestial globe under his arm. In the background, a man wearing a hat reads from a book as a globe rests at his feet. Farther in the background, we see people panicking and fleeing, perhaps fearing the end of the world. In times past, people believed eclipses signified dire circumstances such as an imminent apocalypse. Today, we know that a solar eclipse is caused when the moon lines up between the earth and the sun to block the sun's light.

Vocabulary

Astronomer: An expert in or student of the branch of science that deals with celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole.
Eclipse: An obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination.
Putto: A representation of a naked child, especially a cherub or a cupid in Renaissance art.
Armillary Sphere: A model of the celestial globe constructed from rings and hoops representing the equator, the tropics, and other celestial circles, and able to revolve on its axis.
Compass: An instrument for drawing circles and arcs and measuring distances between points, consisting of two arms linked by a movable joint, one arm ending in a point and the other usually carrying a pencil or pen.
Celestial Globe: A spherical representation of the sky showing the constellations.
Apocalypse: The complete final destruction of the world, especially as described in the biblical book of Revelation.

Concepts

1. Space art paintings attempt to capture the majesty of the universe.
2. Space art paintings feature outer space, stars, planets, comets, asteroids, spaceships, probes, and astronauts.
3. Space art is one of the newest genres, although paintings containing elements of astronomy, such as views of the night sky from the earth, have existed for centuries.
4. History paintings may also be called 'astronomical art.'
5. Select types of space art paintings include, 1) Descriptive Realism (attempt to show a scientifically accurate view), 2) Cosmic Impressionism (does not attempt to be scientifically accurate), 3) Hardware Art (focuses on spaceships and probes), and 4) Cosmic Zoology (Portrays ideas about what extraterrestrial life might look like).
6. See below examples of four subgenres of space art paintings: 1) Lucien Rudaux's 'Lunar Eclipse' (Descriptive Realism), 2) 5arah's' 'Galaxy in a Nut' (Cosmic Impressionism), 3) Rick Guidice's 'Artist's depiction of a pair of O'Neill cylinders' (Hardware Art), and 4) 'Alien Light Atmosphere' by Kalhh (Cosmic Zoology).

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Something Eclipsed
• Storm Clouds
• Compass
• Armillary Sphere
• Celestial Globe
• Putto
• Books
• Statues
• Running People
• Astronomers

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

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

Activity 3: Study an Eclipse Diagram

• Identify the sun, moon, and earth.
• Note how the sun, moon, and earth line up.
• Find the shadow cast on the surface of the earth. Does all people on Earth see a solar eclipse, or just people a part of the Earth?

Activity 4: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 55 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 5: Create A Space Art Drawing   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 56 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'
• Using crayons, color pencils, pastels, or paint, create a space art drawing or painting.
• Beforehand, discuss whether you plan to create a work of descriptive realism, cosmic impressionism, hardware art, and/or cosmic zoology.

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The characters are astronomers studying the eclipse, a putto, and people running from the eclipse.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is outdoors in a European-looking town.

2 / 5

Question 3

What equipment do the astronomers use to study the eclipse?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The astronomers use books, globes, and a compass.

3 / 5

Question 4

Into which genre is this painting classified?

4 / 5

Answer 4

This painting falls into the space art genre.

4 / 5

Question 5

Is the portrait best described as a descriptive realism, cosmic impressionism, hardware art, and/or cosmic zoology space art painting?

5 / 5

Answer 5

This painting is best described as descriptive realism.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are astronomers studying the eclipse, a putto, and people running from the eclipse.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is outdoors in a European-looking town.
3. What equipment do the astronomers use to study the eclipse? The astronomers use books, globes, and a compass.
4. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the space art genre.
5. Is the portrait best described as a descriptive realism, cosmic impressionism, hardware art, and/or cosmic zoology space art painting? This painting is best described as descriptive realism.

References

'Space Art.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Viking Orbiter.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.