You’ve got food on your face!
This is a learning scenario for the subject of English as a foreign language (CEFR level B2) created by Greek teacher Maria Papadaki. Students will explore how Giuseppe Arcimboldo used food to depict a human portrait in his painting Vertumnus. By analyzing Arcimboldo’s work, they will be encouraged to pay attention to the smallest details and increase their ability to observe carefully. It’s the perfect opportunity to practice English vocabulary and idioms related to fruit and vegetables, facial characteristics, shapes and shades of colours. Students will look for information and portraits of Rudolph II, the Holy Roman Emperor, and make assumptions about Arcimboldo’s choices of the specific food in Vertumnus in small groups. Searching biographical information about Arcimboldo will also lead them to more of his work. They will be engaged in a short individual writing activity related to feelings evoked by this painting. They will also try to imagine what their own portrait would look like if it was painted by Arcimboldo and why, thus inspiring their creativity and imagination. In groups, they will prepare a healthy school meal with the food used in the portrait. Students will use Europeana to find the portraits of Vertumnus and of Rudolph II, as well as applications to share their works.
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