First, ask students to write down all the meanings they associate with the colours red and white, e.g. anger, death, purity. Then, watch the clip and look at the image of Violetta. Ask students to discuss how the change in the colour of her dress affects their opinion of her personality and morality.
Main Activity
- Next, introduce the popular theme of the ‘fallen woman’ in the 19th Century, personified by Violetta. Show the following artworks:
- George Cruikshank, ‘A destitute girl throws herself from a bridge’, 1848
- W Holman Hunt, ‘Awakening Conscience’, 1854
- Nan Goldin, ‘The Ballad of Sexual Dependency’
- Students can then make thumbnail sketches and notes on each artwork under the following headings: Clothing – style/ colour.Figures – pose/ gestures/ form/ mass. Gaze – Where is the subject of the painting looking?