From the desk of Madame Perry, Upper School French teacher

"My French Literature and Culture class went to the Portland Art Museum last Sunday. Earlier in the year, students read a short story by Guy de Maupassant and studied the social and historical context of that late 19th century work.

The special PAM exhibit of statues by Auguste Rodin, who was working in the same time period as de Maupassant, gave students the opportunity to see the sculptor’s groundbreaking approach to artistic representation in person. We also enjoyed having coffee, eating croissants, and discussing the exhibit (in French of course) after our tour.

Upon our return I asked the students to share some reflections on the visit, and here are a few of their findings:

'I loved learning about how Rodin's style of sculpture differed from those of the artists before him. He was one of the first to use so much movement in his work, to use people without conventionally beautiful bodies or faces, and to sculpt only fragments of the human body that still had the ability to convey emotion.' --Zoe C., '16

'The experience of the Rodin exhibit was quite fascinating. It was great to use my French skills as well and have more complex conversations outside of the classroom settings.' --Jake C., '16

'I felt that we were really lucky to actually see some of Rodin's sculptures in person instead of just looking at pictures in class. I was amazed to see how realistic his sculptures are.'"

Photo Credit: OES French Teacher Katrina Perry