The Montessori Advisor: My Monthly Art Gallery

Haddon Sundblom, "Fireside Santa", 1930s

One of the differences between Montessori and traditional preschool is how we decorate the classroom. We do not use posters, alphabets, etc. The beauty and simplicity of the classroom is one of our hallmarks. It allows the focus to stay on the materials and the children.

For my classroom, I also try make the decor in the classroom meaningful, a reflection of what the children are seeing in the world around them, as well as a way to introduce art and famous artists. In my Montessori training I remember a story about a child looking at a famous painting with Dr. Montessori. Dr. Montessori was looking at it as most adults do, but the child saw minute, seemingly insignificant, details (a mouse in the corner) because they looked at it with different eyes.

Admittedly, this is a new area for me, as I am not well versed in the area of art and art appreciation. So, I am constantly learning. And I look forward to being able to offer my students other art outside of paintings. But I am starting where I know a little (December was my first month of trying this art gallery).

December Art Gallery

I am starting with the painting above, as it was the students' favorite in the gallery this month. Really, the only one that they took notice of. This is the Coca Cola Santa, created in the 1930s that everyone has adopted as the look of Santa (red coat and hat, rosy cheeks, etc). Sundblom said he based the look on the 1823 poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas" (what we now call "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"), and used his neighbor, a postal worker, as the model. The children definitely noticed his shoes were off and all of their questions had to do with that.

"The Christmas Tree", Alexei Mikhailovich, 1910

"Santa with Elves", Norman Rockwell, 1922

"Christmas in the Brothel", Edvard Munch, 1903-4

"Christmas Night (The Blessing of the Oxen)", Paul Gauguin, 1902-3

"Adoration of the Shepherds", Caravaggio, 1609

"The Adoration of the Magi", Leonardo da Vinci, 1481

"The Mystical Nativity", Sandro Botticelli, 1500

January Art Gallery

Interestingly, many of the pieces in January have similar names and are from a similar time period. Apparently, the Northern Hemisphere was under a deep freeze at that time, they called it a mini-ice age.