Students bring new meaning to still life

A group of From 3 students from San Anton School brought some of Caravaggio's famous paintings to life by posing as models in photographic reproductions of the 16th century artist's works.

Caravaggio was made more tangible to the students as the activity helped them to understand his desire for realism in his art, and for the creation of dramatic compositions through the use of the chiaroscuro technique that make his works so instantly recognisable.

The students' reproductions were of The Beheading of St John, The Deposition of Christ, The Raising of Lazarus, The Death of the Virgin Mary and The Doubting Thomas.

The activity was part of an innovative programme laid on recently by Alison Zammit Endrich, head of the art department at San Anton School and a great admirer of Caravaggio, to mark the artist's 400th anniversary since his sojourn in Malta.

Before they posed, the Grade 10s (Form 3 students) were first taught how to use coloured pencils to great effect.

They then used these new-found skills to copy details from Caravaggio paintings, working with black paper to create the dark, dramatic atmosphere that one so often associates with the artist's work.

The Grade 11s (From 4 students), however, faced a different challenge in preparation for their Caravaggio assignment: Mastering the acrylic painting techniques of colour-mixing and blending.

Classes on Art Appreciation introduced the Expressionist Movement to the students; how artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Edvard Munch and Frans Marc expressed their emotions through their use of colour.

The Grade 12 (Form 5) students' first exercise in the art of Caravaggio was a still life of geometric shapes painted in chiaroscuro.