Grades 4-12

Land of 10,000 Looks

Plan on spending time with 8–10 artworks.

Many of these questions are designed to prompt close looking and critical thinking. Read each artwork’s label to find answers to fact-based questions. Artwork not on view? Don’t worry: There are plenty of others to visit! artsmia.org before your visit. You can explore more works within Mia’s Collections site!

Question Prompts

• Look closely. There’s a lot to see.
• • What first catches your attention? Why?
• • What appears to be going on? What do you see that makes you think that?
• • Mandalas are usually made with colored sand. What material did the monks use to make this one?

Question Prompts

• • What’s your first reaction to this suit of armor?
• • Look closely at its craftsmanship: notice how hundreds of lacquered metal and leather plates are laced together with cords.
• • Why might it have been made in this way?
• • What aspects communicate the power of its wearer?

Question Prompts

• • What do this man’s physical characteristics tell you about him? Look at both his head and body.
• • What artistic detail impresses you the most? Why?
• • What do you wonder about The Doryphoros?

Question Prompts

• • What does this artwork tell you about ancient Egyptian life? What does it tell you about ancient Egyptian art?
• • What hieroglyphs, if any, do you recognize?
• • What are some of the other pictures you see?/li>
• • What do they tell you about Lady Tashat?

Question Prompts

• Look closely at this sculpture from all angles.
• • What do you like most about this sculpture?
• • What do you wonder about?
• • Would you like to have your portrait made as a sculpture or as a painting? Why?/li>

Question Prompts

• • How did the artist who painted this coat for her husband make it special?
• • What words could you use to describe the painted designs? The tailoring?
• • Look around the gallery. Which do you prefer: painted objects or beaded objects? Why?

Question Prompts

• Look closely.
• • What reflection do you see in Frank’s glasses?
• • What about this artwork reminds you of a photograph? What reminds you of a painting?
• • How does the size of this artwork influence how you feel about it?

Question Prompts

• • How would you describe this sculpture to a friend?
• • Look closely at the metal dog tags. What do you notice about them?
• • How does the title Some/One influence the way you think about the sculpture?

Question Prompts

• • What everyday objects do you see in this sculpture?
• • If you were to make a sculpture with objects in your home or school, what would you use?
• • Why do you suppose Picasso chose these objects? What does the sculpture tell you about him?

Question Prompts

• • Why do you suppose this car is in the galleries?
• • What about it would you consider artistic?
• • What car do you think you’ll see in a museum 75 years from now?

Question Prompts

• • Describe the range of color you see.
• • Some people think this is a realistic painting; others find it more decorative. What do you think? Why?
• • What events do you think led up to this moment?
• • What season do you think this depicts? Why?
• • What do you wonder about?

Question Prompts

• Following Impressionism
• • Describe this painting. What do you notice first?
• • How has the artist expressed his feelings about nature? How would you describe those feelings?
• • How does this compare to Monet’s Grainstack painting?
• • Which do you prefer? Why?

Question Prompts

• • At first glance, what does this look like it’s made of?
• • What do you see that makes you say that?
• • What type of emotion do you think this woman is expressing?
• • How would you describe this sculpture to a friend?

Question Prompts

• • Look closely at the surface of this desk. What shapes do you recognize?
• • Which ones do you wonder about?
• • Some of these objects likely symbolized crafts and trades familiar to the artist. Which crafts or trades do you think they represent? Why?