Tragic Prelude I: John Brown by John Steuart Curry

We will view a selection of artwork about Kansas during our visit to the Museum. Below are questions to ask yourself as you view each work:



a. What is going on in the picture? What is most important: the place, the people or the activity?

b. What is the texture of the work? Is the landscape flat, hilly, rough, or smooth?

c. Do lines and shapes seem natural and organic or artificial and imposed in this picture?

d. What does the sky or background look like: is it dark, bright or stormy? What colors dominate?

e. What man-made things do you see in the picture? How do they fit in with nature?

f. What is the tone of the picture? Is it a place you would like to be, or place to avoid, why?





1. Identify the title, the artist, the subject. Tell me what medium is used (example: oil on canvas).

2. Describe what kind of place is pictured: a town, a farm, a field, etc. 

3. Tell me about the natural environment pictured in your work including the landscape, the sky, any lakes or rivers, the weather.

4. What man-made structures do you see? Are there buildings, bridges, or machinery? If so, how do they fit into the environment?

5. Finally, imagine yourself in this picture and tell me what you think it would be like to be in this place. Include sounds, smells or other sensations you would expect to have.