Can we do as much for others?
Can we help them, friend or foe?
Questions to help the pupil understand the picture. What color is this young girl’s dress? her eyes? her hair? her cheeks? How do you think she would look if she smiled? Why does she look so serious? How do you suppose she happened to come to the fountain? Why did she hurry? What makes you think she wanted to keep this pitcher? Why do you think they will not scold her? What kind of a fountain is it? From what does the water flow? How many have watched the people who come to a fountain for water? Why do you think the fountain could tell us some interesting stories if it could talk?
To the Teacher: Have the pupils illustrate the story of the little girl going for water. Use charcoal and manila paper.
The story of the artist. Jean Baptiste Greuze was born at Tournus, France, in 1725. When, as a small boy, he began to show decided talent for drawing, his father was very much disappointed. He wanted his boy to pursue some more profitable profession, for, as he said, it was only the few who won fame and wealth as artists; the rest starved.
However, the boy persevered and finally was permitted to study with an artist friend of the family. This artist became much interested in him, and when, some months later, he moved to Paris, he persuaded the father to allow Greuze to go with him. Here the study was continued, Greuze receiving special instruction in the painting of heads. His greatest delight was in painting heads of children and of old men, and “Greuze heads” soon became famous.
Then, too, he painted many pictures from the Bible, and at one time he was ambitious to become a historical painter. It was then he went to Rome to study the paintings of the famous masters there. His first painting to bring him fame was “A Father Explaining the Scriptures to His Family.” Our picture, “The Broken Pitcher” is one of the best known and most popular of his paintings.
Questions about the artist. Who painted this picture? Of what nationality was he? Why did his father not want him to become an artist? What did the boy persist in doing? Who helped him? Where did he go to continue his study? What did he paint most? what other subjects?
