1.2 Self-Assessment: The Music Lesson by Vermeer



 View  "The Music Lesson" by Jan Vermeer. Answer both Previewing and Analyzing Questions.



Fig. 1 The Music Lesson by Jan Vermeer
Click on each of the buttons to view the two steps.

  Previewing

  Apply the first four Ws (who, what, where, and when) to explore physical aspects, or facts, of a visual.

  1. Who and/or what is in the image?
      • age of people or subjects
      • occupation of subjects (soldier, film star, homeless, etc.)
      • status of subjects (rich or poor)
      • colours in the visual
  1. What action is happening in the image?
  2. Where are items positioned? Where is the action occurring?
      • social location (room, mall, car, pool, field)
      • geographic location (Paris, South America, Antarctica, Caspian Sea)
      • fictional landscape (Mars, space station, Middle Earth)
  1. When is the action occurring?
      • time of day
      • season
      • historical period
      • future

Analyzing: What might details mean?

Apply the last W (why) to explore meaning, or a message, within a visual.
  1. Why was the visual composed the way it is?
      • What is the focal point? (A large item is more important than a small one; an item in the centre is more significant than one on the edge.)
      • Does lighting emphasize one item more than another? Why might that be?

  1. Why are these people in this setting?
      • Is there a conflict?
      • Are they sad, happy, fearful, encouraging, or mean?

  1. Why are objects placed where they are?
      • Is an item in an odd place? What might that suggest?
      • Is one person positioned higher than another? Could that suggest inequality?
      • Is one item more noticeable than another? Why might that be?

  1. Why was the scene captured from a specific angle?
        • Does the angle suggest how the people might be feeling?
        • Does the angle suggest that the viewer should look up (respect, admire) or down on (disapprove of) someone or something?

  2.  Does lighting emphasize one item more than another? Why might that be?



   Click here to view sample answers to the above questions.


  Please contact your teacher if you have questions.