ACTIVITY: PICTURE ANALYSIS
Once you had a good look at the picture, read the passage below.
How pleased little Miss Bowles must have been when her mamma and papa told her she was to go to the studio of the great Sir Joshua Reynolds to have her picture painted! She must have clapped her hands, for, as every one knew, Sir Joshua Reynolds was the most delightful man in the world. He not only loved children but he always played with them and kept a great many wonderful toys in his studio just for them. Then, too, he had invited her and her mamma and papa to have lunch with him before she sat for her picture. Sir Joshua had told her mamma to dress the little girl in the simplest white dress she had, so she could play, and because he did not like fine clothes.
It was a lovely drive from her home to the studio, and the two fine horses held their heads up and stepped very high as if they, too, were glad they were going to Sir Joshua’s house. Just as Miss Bowles stepped out of the carriage the cutest little black and white dog came racing down the walk to greet her. Little Miss Bowles was not a bit afraid. How could she be, when the little black and white dog came right up to her and stood wagging his tail? When she had petted him, perhaps he ran to bring a stick for her to throw, so he could find it and bring it back to her, just as your dog does. Sir Joshua heard her laughing and the dog barking as he came out to welcome them.
Almost at once, luncheon was announced and they all went in to the big dining room. Sir Joshua Reynolds sat next to little Miss Bowles and told her all about the little dog, whose name, perhaps, was Spot. A lady whose picture he had painted had given the dog to him, and she had taught Spot several very clever tricks which Miss Bowles should see right after luncheon.
Sir Joshua loved to surprise his little friends. When they were not looking he would take their handkerchiefs from them, or suddenly put some strange toy in their laps. He loved to see their look of surprise and delight.
After luncheon came a good romp in the yard. Perhaps the little dog would bite Miss Bowles’s shoes and try to keep her from running. How she must have laughed!
When she went back into the house Spot went in with her. Little Miss Bowles is so afraid the artist is going to send her pet away that she holds him fast in her arms, and looks at Sir Joshua Reynolds as much as to say, “Now you can’t send him away, can you?” Her eyes fairly sparkle with glee as she squeezes the little dog much too hard for his comfort. He knows that she holds him so fast because she wants to keep him, and he is glad to be with her, but oh! if she just would not squeeze quite so hard!
Show me how little Miss Bowles is sitting. I suppose she is afraid to look away even for a second for fear Sir Joshua will play some trick on her and get the little dog away. Sir Joshua painted so very fast that I don’t suppose she knew just when he drew her picture, although he probably asked her to sit still when he was ready to paint. But she must have gone to his house several times before the picture was finished. Her father and mother were very much pleased with the picture, and said it looked just like their little girl.
Sir Joshua Reynolds loved the woods and nature so much that he nearly always painted them in his pictures. So in the background of this picture we catch a glimpse of the woods in the yard where the child and dog have been playing, and where they have just stopped a moment to rest. (Stories Pictures Tell, by Flora Carpenter, 1918, release 2010 from Project Gutenberg)
Comprehension question:
- Where was this picture painted?
- Why was little Miss Bowles so glad to go?
- How did she go?
- What came to meet her? What color was the dog? How did he act?
- Who gave the dog to the artist?
- How did Sir Joshua Reynolds know little Miss Bowles had come?
- How did he tease her?
- What did they do after luncheon?
- Why did she hold the dog so fast?
- What can you see behind the little girl?
DRAWING ACTIVITIES:
Illustrate the story of little Miss Bowles playing with her dog in the park. Use charcoal, or colored crayon on manila paper.