Wednesday 25 March 2020

Fragonard And Frozen

I am going to be positive. If I am confined to barracks, I will not let my brain vegetate. Round the world, art galleries and museums are making available "Virtual Tours" - so that even if we cannot physically go we can look at things on screen. I have wildly eclectic tastes in art [but mostly old stuff, I don't really do 'modern'] 
When I was a student, I had a postcard of "Young Girl Reading" [painted by Jean Honore Fragonard about 250 years ago] pinned above my desk. I love this picture. It is in the National Gallery of the USA - too far to visit. But another of JHF's pieces, The Swing, is one that I have seen in reality. It is in the Wallace Collection in London
This week Liz alerted me to the fact that Fragonard pops up in Disney's Frozen. 
I have yet to watch this film all the way through [although Rosie has sung me all the songs]
In this very successful animation, Anna goes into the portrait gallery in Arendelle Palace, and imagines herself being 'in' the artworks displayed there, whilst singing The First Time in Forever.
People have spent a lot of time identifying which great artworks have been 'modified' for this purpose. Look at their ideas...
  1. Jean-Honoré Fragonard, The Swing. Rococo, 1767
  2. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Peasant Dance. Flemish Renaissance, 1567.
  3. Auguste Serrure. Picnic [from a different angle] Romantic, ca. 1800.
  4. Gerard Terborch, The Dancing Couple. Baroque, 1660. Polesden Lacey
  5. John Singer Sargent, El Jaleo. Impressionist, 1882. Isabella Stewart
  6.  Lucas van Leyden, Potifar's Wife Shows Joseph's Gown to Her Husband. Dutch Golden Age, 1512.






Maybe you are not convinced- but I think this is enormous fun, and if it gets young children interested in great works of art, then I am all for it. Read more hereAnd here's the video clip
Liz told me that Rosie was keen on having some Frozen Yogurt every day. It was only when I was sent the picture, I realised she'd said "Frozen Yoga" !
Some enterprising people have put free videos out there to help our housebound children to enjoy exercising. She is certainly managing the pose, with hands and feet in the right places!
This is for all those parents out there, trying to find ways to occupy and entertain their children, in ways which will hopefully have some sort of educational content.

5 comments:

  1. How clever of the film makers! And how clever of Rosie!

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  2. Hm, some frozen yogurt would definitely be welcome after Frozen Yoga, I think! :D

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  3. What fun - and how interesting. People have been so enterprising with what they come up with for children - it must be so difficult for parents these days - especially for those who live in apt. or flats with no easy access to the outdoors. In downtown Toronto many families live in condos and while they might be near to parks and to the lake, they would have to take an elevator up and down many, many floors - and elevator etiquette is a bi tricky these days!
    Really cute photo of Rosie. Hope you continue to feel better.

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  4. Out of the ark music have put up some free song resources to share with children. I've put them on my blog at school.
    I love seeing Anna in all those different paintings! So cool!
    I remember when I dressed up as that first painting for Style Imitating Art!
    x

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