Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 34: Wildlife - Exotic Landscape

by Henri Rousseau

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

In French wildlife artist Henri Rousseau's primitivist painting, 'Exotic Landscape (1908),' a variety of animals peep from the lush foliage of the jungle. One primate plucks a juicy orange from a tree. A tropical bird in red and blue provides a central focal point.

Vocabulary

Primitivism: An art movement that adapts techniques from prehistoric or non-Western civilizations.
Foliage: Plant leaves, collectively.
Primate: A mammal of an order that includes the lemurs, bushbabies, tarsiers, marmosets, monkeys, apes, and humans. They are distinguished by having hands, handlike feet, and forward-facing eyes, and, with the exception of humans, are typically agile tree-dwellers.

Concepts

1. Wildlife art features animals in a variety of settings.
2. Wildlife art is also sometimes called 'animal painting.'
3. Wildlife art is historically not a respected type of painting.
4. See below a rank-order list of the hierarchy of genres, from least respected to most respected.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Orange Tree
• Primates
• Grasses
• Leaves
• Branches
• Tree Trunk
• Sun
• Flowers

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

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

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

Zoom in to find France, the home country of the artist.

Activity 4: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 64 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 4

Answer 1

There are no human characters, but the primates and bird might be considered the main characters.

1 / 4

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 4

Answer 2

The setting is outdoors in a tropical location.

2 / 4

Question 3

How do we know the setting is tropical?

3 / 4

Answer 3

We know the setting is tropical because of the lush vegetation, fruit, flowers, and the presence of a wild monkey.

3 / 4

Question 4

Into which genre is this painting classified?

4 / 4

Answer 4

This painting falls into the wildlife art (or animal painting) category.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? There are no human characters, but the primates and bird might be considered the main characters.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is outdoors in a tropical location.
3. How do we know the setting is tropical? We know the setting is tropical because of the lush vegetation, fruit, flowers, and the presence of a wild monkey.
4. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the wildlife art (or animal painting) category.

References

'Animal Painter.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Hierarchy of genres.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.