On November first, 41 Juniors and Seniors had the opportunity to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ms. Cammarata’s Spanish 4 Honors class and her advanced Spanish Language Arts class were joined by Ms. Ganes’ s National Art Honor Society club members and Ms. Soto. We all had a wonderful learning experience. For some it was their first time in NYC and for many their first museum visit. It was a great day, including lunch on the impressive steps!
We began our tour in the Ancient Greek and Roman galleries, and were in awe of the marble sculptures. Students were most impressed with the realism achieved with only a hammer and chisel and the grand scale of the amazing works. Since we were on a self guided tour, with Ms. Ganes, we walked at our own pace and tried to fit in as much as possible spanning ancient and modern artworks in sculpture and painting.
In small groups we wandered through observing the Greek sarcophagus, ancient Hercules figures, an Italian fresco mural room, as well as a display of 3D models next to the ancient works. Some recognized characters from Greek mythology such as Medusa, Apollo, and Marsyas. Students learned that the ancient Greeks and Roman influenced the Renaissance sculptors. In the Cubism and Trompe L’oeil exhibit, we observed how the realists of the 17th century inspired the modern Cubists. The Cubism exhibit was enjoyed by all and it was so exciting for students to see original paintings by Picasso and other works that they had only seen online.(See pencil drawing by Tiffany Martinez -sketch of Marsyas sculpture) Studying the artworks in person was memorable to the Spanish classes since they do an art unit, and to the art students who study art history as it relates to their projects. We ended off in the 20th century permanent collection where the highlight was viewing the Surrealists, especially paintings by Max Ernst, Rene Magritte, and Salvador Dali. Students were very cooperative and seemed to really appreciate this cultural experience. With this introduction they are curious to visit again. As a bonus, students were given a free pass to return with friends and family.
Tiffany Martinez-Sketch of Marsyas sculpture
