Family Day this month focuses on “Wealth and Beauty: Pier Francesco Foschi and Painting in Renaissance Florence.” This is the first exhibition dedicated to the artist Pier Francesco Foschi (1502 – 1567). It includes paintings and drawings by Foschi and other artists that have never been presented in the United States.
Foschi (pronounced FOSS-kee) was well known for his beautiful portraits. A portrait is a work of art that shows someone’s face and some or all of their body. Wealthy people in Italy would pay Foschi to paint a picture of them.
Take a closer look at this painting. What do you notice about her clothes? What else is included in the painting? Clothes and other items are clues about who this person is. What do you think this woman is telling us about herself?
If Foschi could paint a portrait of you, what items would you include in the picture? What would these items say about who you are?
Agnolo Bronzino (1503 – 1572), “Portrait of a Woman,” ca. 1550. Oil on wood, 60 × 48.8 centimeters (23 5/8 × 19 3/16 inches). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 1972.121.
Black was a popular color for people to wear in portraits because black fabric was expensive. The dye was difficult to make and black fabric did not last as long as many other colors. Many people also wore fabric decorated with embroidery. Now it is your turn to decorate your own special black fabric with embroidery.
For this activity you will need:
- black fabric pouch
- embroidery hoop
- needle*
- metallic thread
- needle threader
- scissors (not included)
*Please note: Needles are sharp. Adult supervision recommended
To Make Your Black and Metallic Pouch:
- Pull a length of thread as long as your arm. Cut it and knot the end.
- Push the needle threader into the eye of the needle.
- Push the thread through the loop of the needle threader.
- Pull the threader and the thread with it back through the eye of the needle.
- Now you have a threaded needle.
- From inside the bag, push the needle out through the fabric in the hoop.
- Make a stitch by pushing the needle back inside the bag.
- Continue stitching in and out to make a line, a shape or a messy metallic thread explosion
TIP: Try different lengths of stitches. Make some long and some short.
We’d love your feedback! Please take a few minutes to complete a survey about this program(opens in new tab).
Family Day art kits are sponsored by Lucy and Buddy Allen and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art.