Art Gallery of Ontario

Revealing the Early Renaissance – Guided Visits (JK – Grade 12)

Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art
March 16 – June 16, 2013

Image Information

Travel back in time to Florence, Italy in the Early Renaissance from 1300-1350 C.E. and be inspired! Experience the city's burgeoning economy and insatiable demand for religious and civic artworks.

• Learn the secrets and science of artmaking in this time period
• Explore inside the artist’s studio and the collaborative nature of artistic production
• Discover the pigments and tools used
• Examine the artworks through the microscopes of conservators

This exhibition comprises more than 90 key pieces of art including paintings, manuscripts and stained glass, works by Giotto and Bernardo Daddi, and works inspired by Dante.  These works of art have never travelled to Canada before and will never travel again – do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Curriculum Links:

Elementary (JK – Grade 8) – Visual Arts, Language, Social Studies – Grade 4: Medieval Times, Kindergarten Program
Secondary (Grade 9 - 12) – Visual Arts, Canadian and World Studies

Students can explore this exhibition three different ways:

Renaissance Guided Visit

How and why did this powerful art change the world? Students explore the role of art in Florence by examining storytelling through the art and artistic techniques of the Early Renaissance period while making relevant connections to our modern-day lives.

• JK – Grade 2: Students will learn how artists used the elements of colour, line, shape, and texture to tell stories through art.
• Grade 3 – 8: Students will explore how artists turned written narratives into visual stories through art, examine the secrets of the artists’ studio, and learn recent discoveries by conservators.
• Grade 9 – 12: Students will explore how Florentine artists revealed the cultural values and global connections of their society through their artistic practice and use of materials. 

Renaissance Artmaking Visit

Inspired by the lush materials and specialized artistic techniques of the Early Renaissance period, students will explore their personal creativity through a hands-on artmaking workshop.

• JK – Grade 2: Students will use tempera paint on wood panel to create a self-portrait or personal story inspired by Florentine paintings from the Early Renaissance.
• Grade 3 – 8: Students will work collaboratively to create portraits or personal stories using tempera paint on wood panel and connect the panels together into a class polyptych.
• Grade 9 – 12: Inspired by the illuminated manuscripts from the Florentine workshops of the Early Renaissance, students experiment with a variety of materials and techniques to create their own illuminated stories.

Renaissance Self-Guided Visit

Lead your students on your own through this special exhibition with the support of our teacher resources! Visit http://www.ago.net/RevealingTheEarlyRenaissance for more information.

Program Fees (including HST)

Booking School Programs

For detailed booking information, visit Booking School Programs