Visual Art as Narrative: Analyzing Leonardo da Vinci’s Portraits

Do paintings have a story to tell? If so, how do they tell the story? Students will watch documentary clips from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon’s Leonardo da Vinci that highlight Leonardo’s remarkable ability to show the workings of the inner mind through his paintings and portraits. Students will respond to viewing and discussion questions and have the option to complete creative extension projects to demonstrate understanding.

Learning Objectives:

Students will aim to….

• Understand how Leonardo da Vinci made artistic choices that allowed his paintings to convey complex stories;
• Consider how visual art and poetry compare as storytelling forms;
• Analyze the extent to which modern media, specifically photography and video, compare to paintings as storytelling tools.

About the Author

Kelly Jacobsen is a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. She has been a teacher for the past 35 years: six in Boston, two in Guam, one in Scotland and 26 at the Ocean Beach School District. She is currently teaching English to grades 9 and 10. She has a Bachelor of Arts from Assumption College and a Master’s in Education from Boston University.