3rd Term Project
Lucretia Painting/American Revolution Montage
Assignment: Create a poster of American Revolution scenes that incorporates anachronistic elements and explain how these elements
provide a contemporary political commentary. Present your work.
Background Context: Consider the discussions we had in class about Botticelli’s rendition of The Tragedy of Lucretia. Botticelli depicted
an ancient Roman story that, for16th century Florentines, was iconographic of tyranny being overthrown (scenes included: Brutus inciting the
Romans to revolt against the Etruscans; Horatio at the Bridge; Gaius Mucius Scaevola; Judith and Holofernes; David and Goliath, etc.) In
addition, art critics have speculated that Botticelli’s architecture reveals a contemporary commentary because it combines ancient Roman
buildings in the foreground with a 16th century Florentine setting in the background. Scholars theorize that this painting was commenting on
the corruptness of the Medici Family, who’d recently been cast out of Florence when Botticelli painted the work.
Project Instructions: Choose a then and now issue. In other words, choose an issue from the American Revolution that you believe has a
contemporary parallel. Then create a poster using images from the American Revolution. Tweak your three revolutionary scenes to make
them “comment” (as Botticelli did) on our current times. Do this by incorporating anachronistic (out of time) elements that draw a corollary to
a contemporary (present) political issue. Provide a text description beneath each image that makes clear what you’re portraying as well as
what that scene conveys about our current society. Your left scene will show the British (or government) perspective on the issue. The right
scene should show the colonial (or citizen) perspective on the issue, and the center scene should show some aspect of the outcome that
resulted from these conflicting perspectives. Make sure that you overall project makes clear the position you are taking on the contemporary
issue that you’ve portrayed. Remember, Botticelli’s position was that the Medici should not be allowed to return, he wasn’t just showing that
tyrants exist.
Teams will deliver the text portions of your poster in a formal oral presentation for your project grade.
Assessment: Teams will be graded on the quality of your poster; the thoroughness and accuracy of your then and now analogies; and the
clarity of your in-class oral presentation. See project rubric for specific details. Team members should divide the work into: 1. Left panel
and text box; 2. Center Panel and text box; 3. Right Panel and text box; 4. Intro, Title and Parallel Text Boxes
Requirements:
1. Revolutionary Scenes with Contemporary Elements Added In - Your scenes must be from the American Revolution with things
added in from the present (not the other way around.)
2. Political Commentary on Contemporary Parallel - The elements you add into your Revolutionary scenes must be about some
situation in our contemporary culture and you must ‘comment’ politically (express your opinion or view on the issue) in your project.
3. 5 Text Boxes – You must have 5 text boxes. Three of the boxes should appear beneath each of the three scenes and explain in
paragraph form the meaning of your imagery in the corresponding scene. The two additional text boxes should a. explain the
Lucretia painting and its connection to the project, and b. give an overview of your project’s revolutionary theme and
contemporary parallel.
4. Excellent Poster & Oral Presentation - demonstrate that time and care were taken in putting together both the poster and the
oral presentation. Spend 5-7 minutes explaining all of the elements of your poster.
5.
See project rubric below for specific details and point values
Intro Text Box – Explain the painting’s story Poster Title (title should sum up your
Overview Text Box – Explain your Then
and describe how Botticelli may have used
project comparison and/or your
and Now Parallel/Comparison and
the Lucretia painting to make a social
commentary on the “now” portion of your
examples in detail. Mount on construction
commentary on his own time. Mount on
comparison). Mount on construction paper
paper – 10 points
construction paper – 10 points
5 points
5. Center Scene –scene depicting the
4. Right Scene – create a scene depicting
3. Left Scene – create a scene depicting the outcome that resulted from the conflict
the Colonial Perspective on the
British Perspective on the Revolutionary
between the British Perspective (left) and
Revolutionary Topic/Issue you have
period topic you’ve chosen. Include dialogue the Colonial Perspective (right). Mount on
chosen. Include dialogue boxes, thought
boxes, thought bubbles, etc. Mount on
construction paper – 10 points
bubbles, etc. Mount on construction paper construction paper - 10 points
10 points
Text Box Below Left Scene – explain the
Text Box Below Center Scene – explain
Text Box Below Right Scene – explain the
image depicted in the left scene. Be sure to
the image depicted in the center scene. Be
image depicted in the right scene. Be sure
show what you know about the history as
sure to show what you know about the
your text shows what you know about the
well as explain what anachronistic elements
history as well as explain what
history as well as explains what
you inserted and how they relate to the
anachronistic elements you inserted and
anachronistic elements you have inserted
contemporary (now) portion of your topic.
how they relate to the contemporary (now)
and how they relate to the contemporary
Mount on construction paper – 10 points
portion of your topic. Mount on construction (now) portion of your topic. Mount on
paper – 10 points
construction paper - 10 points
Presentation = Total 15 points (5 points for each group member – all group members must present their portion of the poster.)