Selfies and Portraits in the Past and Present

Lesson Overview

In groups of three or four, students will research, potentially by field trip but invariably online, a miniature portrait found in the colonial American section of the Gibbes Museum of Art. Students should create a product showcasing the meanings in the portrait indicated by the artist. Visual clues such as the style of dress, use of props, posturing, spacing, and people included in the portrait tell the onlooker about the historical context of the individual. More information about the period can be gathered by researching scholarly historical websites such as the ones below. This information should be cited and presented in a format of the students’ choosing, such as a Prezi. They then should communicate the idea of a portrait (not necessarily through painting), heavily weighted with symbolism from the colonial time frame.