For

Senior Years Students

Curriculum

VCE Art

Think About

John Constable

John Constable (1767-1837) is an English Romantic artist. He completed many paintings that captured the English landscape, transforming it into gentle scenes of rural tranquillity. He also loved to contemplate nature and created many studies of clouds by documenting the weather patterns, times and locations associated with his observations. He called this skying. Clouds, 1822, is one example of many studies he completed. It is almost as if he has captured a moment of poetic beauty. He stated:

It will be difficult to name a class of landscape in which the sky is not the keynote, the standard of scale, and the chief organ of sentiment… The sky is the source of light in Nature, and governs everything.
Ed: Dana Rowan, 19th Century Painting and Sculpture in the International collections of the National Gallery of Victoria, NGV, 2003, p.19

Rosalie Gascoigne

Rosalie Gascoigne (1943-1999) is a New Zealand artist. She pioneered artworks made from discarded objects, often found in the vicinity of her home. She spent many hours walking in the bush, fossicking for objects that were part of nature or discarded within nature. Clouds III, 1992 is an example of how pieces of rubbish can be transformed into beautiful forms. It is easy to see the cloud formations made from the weathered plywood. The torn edges and random shapes eloquently depict the sky and clouds.

Aim

To compare Muller’s approach to landscape with others who depict the natural world.

Preparation

To do this activity you will need:

• Read the information for Theme Seven – Contemporary Art: The Natural World.
• View the work either online or in the exhibition.
• Research examples of landscape art through the library or Internet.

Research Questions

Dave Muller, John Constable and Rosalie Gascoigne all approach the sky as an aspect of landscape in completely different ways. Analyse the three different approaches.
Aspects of your investigation and research may include:

• Understanding of the different social and cultural influences and times that may have influenced the artists
• The use of different materials and techniques that help create a distinctive style
• Depiction of subject matter
• Use of formal elements
• Understanding of the artists’ intention

Individual Task

Find a picture of a work by a landscape artist that you particularly like. What are the qualities that make you consider it to be good landscape art? In what ways is it similar or dissimilar to Dave Muller’s work?

Find an example of landscape art that you particularly like. Compare your chosen landscape to the landscape by Muller, or another artist depicting the natural world in the exhibition.