Activities – One Source across the curriculum

Gassed

Gassed© IWM (Art.IWM ART 1460)

John Singer Sargent, c. March 1919, 231 x 611 cm, Oil on canvas,

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/23722

 

Task

Think of the various questions that you could ask to understand this painting. Imagine what a key question might be according to each subject discipline.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Experience the range of questions available in an interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary approach;
  2. Develop critical skills including the ability to make value judgements about the quality of different questions and critical approaches;
  3. Participate in group discussion and gain confidence in backing up personal opinion.

The Painting

In 1918, the British Ministry of Information commissioned American painter John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) to contribute a large-scale work to a planned Hall of Remembrance commemorating Anglo-American cooperation. Click here to see other work held by the IWM.

 

Extract from Dulce et Decorum Est  by Wilfred Owen – Does this help to explain the painting?

Gas… GAS! Quick boys! An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time.
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.
Dim through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.
In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

– See more at: http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/chemical-weapons/#sthash.EQG3lpAh.dpuf

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Explore different ideas from this painting for different subjects below:OP

ESOL,Maths, Geography , History , Art History , Practical Art , Creative Writing , Psychology , Health Studies , Politics , Philosophy

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ESOL

Describe what is happening in the painting from the perspective of each four group of soldiers.

There are some useful webpages with exercises connected to the vocabulary of conflict e.g.

 

The BBC produced some useful guides for a course that is no longer accessible online called the Vocabulary of Conflict. ( Note you will have to scroll down quite a way before the text appears).

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Maths

The format of the painting is unusual in that it is particularly long and narrow. What impact does this have on the overall image and its meaning?

For Maths resources try

TES – free to use but you do need to sign up.

Weights of Food Parcel – documents to download to use in sessions

Placing World War 1 in the history of mathematics – academic paper

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Geography

Find out where this painting was set; what can you find out about the land?

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/places/ww1-western-front.htm – maps and information about the Western Front

http://maps.nls.uk/ww1/trenches/  -trench maps

http://www.1914-1918.net/maps.htm – army maps and aerial photographs

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History

WW1 was intended to be the war to end all wars; does this painting

convey this possibility?

You can order a free OU booklet about the Great War.

For more interesting OU links about the First World War click here

An eyewitness account of a gas attack 1916

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Art history

What are the different methodologies we could use to analyse this painting?

some further links to other art made during the first world war.

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Practical art

Produce a sample of colours used in the painting; make your own painting/sketch based on your own experience of personal conflict.

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Creative Writing

Imagine you are one of the characters in the painting, the artist who painted it or a viewer; Write 3 sentences to express your experience.

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Psychology

Looking at traumatic images can affect our psyches negatively;

– what are the pros and cons for viewing such material?

Interesting article about Virginia Wolff and a lawyer interpreting images of war.

Was art changed forever by the First World War?

How do you feel after viewing the paintings of

Wyndham Lewis, Otto Dix, Paul Nash and David Bomberg

What messages do you think the artists were trying to reflect/portray?

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Health Studies

What health issues will the soldiers develop now and in the future?

Did Shell Shock make us serous about Mental Health ( BBC i Wonder)?

War and Military Health ( American journal of Public Health)

Female Shell Shock

Medical responses to Chemical Warfare World War 1

Long term Psychological Consequences amongst Chemical Warfare survivors

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Politics

What does this work commemorate and how?

Find out about the British War Memorials Committee who commissioned the painting. What did they want Sargent to convey in the painting?

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Philosophy

What other questions could we ask other than the ones outlined above to understand this painting?

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2 thoughts on “Activities – One Source across the curriculum”

  1. Hi Rob, VOC team – shame on me but this is my first visit to the site. What an eye opener. There are some fabulous ideas for places to visit, activities to engage with and a whole wealth of curriculum resources. I look forward to spending more time on the VOC website.

    Trish Land

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    Reply

    • Thanks Trish,
      We are still continuing to update the site when we find new and interesting links and resources. Please keep checking back and pass the link onto others. It would be great to hear how it is being used.

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