Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries
The Portuguese Empire in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
July 16-24, 2007
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I. Unit of Study:                                              Cultural Symbolism in Lidded Containers

II. Lesson Title/Length of Time:                   Saltcellars and the Portuguese

influence                                                                        

Approximately seven 45-min. classes


III. Author/County:                                        Emily Bergquist


Baltimore City, MD


IV. Grade Level/Subject Area(s):                 Sixth grade, Art, Reading, and Writing
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V. Abstract

This unit will focus on Portuguese saltcellars.  Students will understand how they were created, what they were used for, and why they were important.  Then, we will explore the symbolism that decorates these utilitarian pieces by examine how Portuguese and African culture is represented through these pieces.  Although these pieces may not have been actually used, the intent of these vessels was to contain a valued commodity of the time.  Students will compare and contrast the ivory saltcellars of Africa with the metal saltcellars of Portugal.  The culminating project will be students creating their own saltcellars, or lidded utilitarian vessels. We will explore contemporary American symbolism. Students will also explore a commodity that is highly prized today and create a vessel to hold this item. Students may combine elements of Portuguese, African, and American culture to create their saltcellar. vIn conclusion, students will write a summary of what symbols they used and why.

VI. Background

            Portuguese exploration during the Age of Discovery opened up the world.  The communication and the globalization of the 15th century.  According to Levenson (2007), “as extraordinary maps show, the contours of the planet were modified, and documents, manuscripts, sculptures, paintings, and other objects attest to the reciprocal influences that arose from the contacts between diverse civilizations. Each one looking at the other, judged the other and translated the encounter with the other into its own language” (10).

Portugal’s explorations of the seas in 1461-62 led them to the African coast that came to be called Sierra Leone. Portugal pursued a variety of goals in Africa. Slave raiding expeditions in Africa increased as the sugar industry of Brazil increased the labor demands. Most of the works of art in the early years of Africa were created for export. According to Levenson (2007), “Exquisitely carved ivory saltcellars, hunting horns, spoons, and other personal objects from what is now Sierra Leone and from the kingdoms of Benin and Kongo reached Europe aboard Portuguese ships” (145).  Ivory was a luxury commodity. The major source of this material was for West and South Africa. Early accounts of this area describe carved ivory pieces that became highly prized by the Portuguese.
           
Clarke (2006) states: “Salt during this time was rare and very expensive in Europe. To be able to display this precious commodity in such a finely carved and elaborately detailed vessel was a symbol of wealth and prestige at the table of a wealthy Portuguese. Local artists are believed to have been shown European prototypes on which to base with creations. This vessel’s form and some elements of its decoration recall European saltcellars. Most of the designs, however, are distinctly African, reflecting SAPI artistic sensibilities” (75).

            Most African forms were based on spheres and cylinders. They preferred geometric patterns, human and animal ornamentation. Very few pieces have organic element such as plants. According to Clarke, “snakes were identified with local water spirits, Niniganne. They were believed to be capable of spanning two realms-the earthly and the spiritual- and are associated with waterways, wealth (in the form of clothing and metal) and danger” (75). Often the snakes were depicted as descending, never ascending from the underworld. The Portuguese were associated as being powerful people because they came across the ocean and who had usual attire.

            European metal saltcellars often their forms were clouded by decoration. There was not clear articulation of the pieces.  

VII. Materials

  • White low fire clay
  • Clay tools
  • Water
  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Color pictures from “Encompassing the Globe”
  • Venn diagrams

VIII. Standards/Learner Outcomes

A. Fine Arts Standards

2.0 – Historical, Cultural and Social Context: Students will demonstrate an understanding of visual art as an essential aspect of history and human experience.

  • 6.2.1.a  Compare stylistic methods used by artists of different cultures to communicate feels, ideas and universal themes
  • 6.2.2.b   Plan artworks based on historical, cultural and social themes to communicate personal beliefs, customs or societal value

3.0 – Creative Expression and Production: Students will demonstrate the ability to organize knowledge and ideas for expression in the production of art.

  • 6.3.1.   Demonstrate how media, processes and techniques communicate ideas and personal meaning

B. Content Standards

Standard 4.0 Writing: Students will compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.

7. Locate, retrieve and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose

  • c. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information 
  • Appropriate strategies for organizing source information or notes
  • d. Synthesize information from two or more sources to fulfill a self-selected or given purpose

IX. Objectives/Skills

A. Fine Arts Objectives

  • Student will understand how symbolism is used in a variety of cultures by looking at Portuguese and African saltcellars exemplars from the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Students will create a three dimensional container with lid of their own from clay that uses cultural iconography to describe personal experiences.

B. Content Objectives

  • Students will understand Portugal’s role in a global society by learning a brief history of the interactions between Portugal and Africa.
  • Students will understand the cultural influences and symbolism of different by comparing and contrasting Portuguese metal saltcellars to African ivory saltcellars on a Venn Diagram.
  • Students will summarize their creation by explaining their vessel and the symbology used to decorate their pieces.

 

X. Keywords/Vocabulary

  • Saltcellar: Lidded vessel that were used to store salt
  • Ivory: The hard creamy-white modified dentine that composes the tusks of a tusked mammal (as an elephant, walrus, or narwhal) b: a tusk that yields ivory
  • Utilitarian: Of, relating to, or aiming at utility (Marriam-Websters Dictionary)
  • Iconography: The pictorial representation of a subject, or the collected images (or icons) illustrating a subject — pictures, diagrams, etc. Iconography can mean the description of representational works of art. Also, the study of subject matter and symbolism in the visual arts, as in collections of pictures constituting a complete visual record of a subject, or a visual dictionary.
  • Symbolism: The art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations: as a. artistic imitation or invention that is a method of revealing or suggesting immaterial, ideal, or otherwise intangible truth or states.
  • Niniganne: Local water spirits
  • Figurative: Representing by a figure or resemblance of a figure
  • Pinch pot: "Pinch" in ceramics is a method of shaping clay by inserting the thumb of one hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while slowly rotating the ball in the palm of the other hand.
  • Coil: This is the technique of building ceramic forms by rolling out coils, or ropes, of clay and joining them together with the fingers or a tool.
  • Score and slip: Score and slip refers to a method of joining two pieces of clay together. First, score the clay; this means that you make scratches in the surfaces that will be sticking together. Then you slip it; that is you wet the surface with some slip, using it like glue. Next, you press the two pieces together. It is very important to always score and slip clay that is leather hard. If you do not, the pieces will likely pop apart when they are fired.

XI. Motivation

  • Students will use drama to understand the history of Portugal’s exploration in Africa.
  • Students will use clay as a manipulative to be an interactive project.
  • They will explore an item that is personally valued and create a lidded vessel to contain this item.
  • They will create their own cultural symbols and incorporate these images into a functional piece of pottery.

XII. Scope and Sequence of Unit

Day 1:

  • Students will learn a brief history of Portugal exploration. (1/2 day)
  • Students will learn why object such as saltcellars were valued, what they were made of, and how they were created (1/2 day)

Day 2:

  • Students will learn how to distinguish between Portuguese and African symbols on Saltcellars using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two images. (1/2 day)
  • Students will brainstorm American cultural symbols. (1/2 day)

Days 3-6:

  • Students will create saltcellars (lidded containers with pedestals and cultural ornamentation). (3days)

Day 7:

  • Students will reflect on creation and summarize the symbols they choose to use and how their piece represents themselves. (1 day)

 

XIII. Assessments of the Unit

Informal Assessment:

  • Students will act out a brief history of Portugal exploration of Africa.
  • Student will follow directions.
  • Observe students using art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

Formal Assessment: 

  • Venn diagram of Portuguese and African symbology. Rubrics to be used for grading.
  • Creation of container with lid and personal symbology of students. Container must be designed with to hold something that students value. It will have to have a base, body, lid, and decorative elements. Rubrics to be used when grading.
  • Students will write a summary of their piece and explain what their container will hold, why this is important to them, and what symbols they used to decorate their piece with. Rubric to be used for grading.           

XIV. Closure/Reflection
 
Students will share their work and summary with their peers.  We will brainstorm about how other containers/vessels/objects that are around us are decorated with images that represent our own culture. We will reflect on this project and list ways that we could improve the results of the project if we were to try it again.
           
In addition, we will discuss how the world is a global society and how this impacts our lives? Where can we find evidence of this idea in the objects that we use or prize? How is this similar to the exchange between the Portugal and Africa in the 16th and 17th century?

XV. Differentiated Instruction

  • Students to assist each other.
  • Repetition of directions.
  • Directions will be written on the board and read out loud.
  • Supervised activities as needed.

XVI. HITS (High Impact Strategies)

#3: Reinforcing effort and providing recognition

#5: Nonlinguistic representation

#6: Cooperative learning

#8: Activating prior knowledge

 

XVII. Resources

  • Clarke, Christa. The Art of Africa: A Resource for Educators. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2006.
  • Levenson, Jay A., Ed. Encompassing the Globe: Portugal and the World in the 16th and 17th Centuries. Washington, D.C.: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 2007.

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Lesson 1: History of Portuguese Exploration and a Global Society

Materials:

  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Color pictures from Encompassing the Globe

Standards/Learner Outcomes:

A. Fine Arts Standards

2.0 - Historical, Cultural and Social Context: – Students will demonstrate an  understanding of visual art as an essential aspect of history and human experience.

  • 6.2.1.a Compare stylistic methods used by artists of different cultures to communicate feels, ideas and universal themes
  • 6.2.2.b Plan artworks based on historical, cultural and social themes to communicate personal beliefs, customs or societal value

B. Content Standards

Standard 4.0 Writing- Students will compose in a variety of modes by developing content, employing specific forms, and selecting language appropriate for a particular audience and purpose.

7. Locate, retrieve and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose

c. Use appropriate note taking procedures, organizational strategies, and proper documentation of sources of information 

  • Appropriate strategies for organizing source information or notes

Standard 3.0 Geography-

A. Using Geographic Tools Indicator

1. Use geographic tools to locate places and describe the human and physical characteristics in early world history

b. Use photographs and thematic maps, to identify and describe physical and human characteristics of early civilizations

Drama Standards 2.0 Historical, Cultural, and Social Context: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the history, traditions, and conventions of theatre, dramatic texts, and other literature of the theatre.

1. Identify and describe different characteristics of dramatic texts, spaces, audiences, and performers used for theatre in different cultures and historical periods

a. Identify and define character types, scenarios, and themes in plays from a variety of cultures, historical periods, and social contexts

c. Describe characters, settings, and dramatic action using information drawn from dramatic texts and performances to support inferences and conclusions

Objectives/Skills:

A. Fine Arts Objectives

  • Students will understand how symbolism is used in a variety of cultures by looking at Portuguese and African saltcellars exemplars from the 16th and 17th centuries.

B. Content Objectives

  • Students will know where Portugal is located and how exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries influenced their world views by examining how maps recorded information and observations of travelers.
  • Students will understand Portugal’s role in a global society by learning a brief history of the interactions between Portugal and Africa.

Keywords/Vocabulary:

  • Portugal
  • Tableau
  • Global society 

Motivation:

  • Students will use drama to understand the history of Portugal’s exploration in Africa. They will use tableau to understand the reactions of the Portuguese and of the Africans in their first encounters.

Scope and Sequence:

Guided Practice:

1.         Students will learn how to create a tableau.

2.         Students will be broken into two groups. Each group will create a tableau and the other group will guess what the scene is about.

3.         Students will share thoughts of this experience as a class.

Independent Practice:

1.         Students will do a short reading after tableau that explains Portugal’s role in the exploration of the world.

2.         Student will complete worksheet which explains exploration.
           

Assessments of the Unit:

Informal Assessment:

  • Students will act out a brief history of Portugal exploration of Africa.
  • Student will follow directions.
  • Observe students using art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

Formal Assessments:

  • Student worksheet to demonstrate an understanding of Portugal history and exploration of the world.

Closure/Reflection:

In closure, students will discuss how the exploration of Portugal influenced the world around them. We will make predictions about how we might see this in our next class when we look at objects from that time period. Then, students will brainstorm connection about how other culture influence one another in the world. I will ask them to look around them over the next week and see if they see other cultures around them. They will have a journal entry the following week as a warm up to write down as many items as they saw during the week, for example Chinese food, cars.

Differentiated Instruction:

  • Students to assist each other.
  • Repetition of directions.
  • Directions will be written on the board and read out loud.
  • Supervised activities as needed.

HITS (High Impact Strategies):

#3- Reinforcing effort and providing recognition

#5- Nonlinguistic representation

#6- Cooperative learning

#8- Activating prior knowledge

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Sponsored by
the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies
and the Maryland State Department of Education