START WITH ART: Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Title: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Artist: Boris Chaliapin

Date: 1957

Medium: Watercolor and pencil on board

Dimensions: 42.2 x 31.1cm

Start with Art Questions: 

• In addition to the main portrait of Dr. King, there are images in the foreground (the part of a view that is nearest to the observer--in this case the bottom left corner) and background (the scenery or ground behind something). What is in the foreground? What is in the background? How do the fore- and background contribute to the painting?

• In which direction is Dr. King looking? Why do you think the artist painted him in this way?

• What do you think the artist was trying to convey with his chosen details?