Picturing Thanksgiving

Aufgabe

1 | a) Look at the painting “The First Thanksgiving 1621” by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris and briefly describe it. Focus on how the people are depicted, how the group is arranged, what they are doing and the general atmosphere of the painting.

b) Hover over the picture with your cursor to zoom in. Try to find additional details that you did not mention in a) (body postures, facial expressions, clothing, symbols, special items, the background, etc.). Note down at least four details and describe each of them in one or two sentences.

c) The painting is meant to show the first Thanksgiving feast in Plymouth 1621, after the first settlers had brought in their first harvest. However, it was created between 1913 and 1915, almost 300 years after the event. The artist, Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, became famous for painting well-known scenes of American history. What kind of impression of the event does the picture convey? Which roles do the different persons fulfil in his arrangement? What aspects of Thanksgiving were important to the artist? What might have been his intention while creating the painting?

Vertiefende Aufgabe | optional | Dauer: ca. 10 min

2 | a) In the 17th century, Thanksgiving was celebrated to thank God for the harvest and the preceding year. Until today, it is one of the most beloved holidays in the U.S. Why does it still hold such significance?

b) Native Americans are part of the popular picture of the "First Thanksgiving," as the painting demonstrates. However, most Native Americans do not celebrate the holiday today, and some protest against it. Can you find possible reasons for that?

Δ