Notizie Italiane

Grades 5 and 6 started a cultural unit of inquiry into Italian Art. The first painting we looked at was The Banquet of Cleopatra by Giovanni Tiepolo. It depicts the tale of a famous contest between the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and Roman ruler Mark Antony. Cleopatra wagered that she could stage a feast more lavish than anyone else and she achieved this by dissolving her pearl earring in a glass of vinegar then drinking it.

The students emulated this event by dissolving ice cream in lemonade. I hope this activity will help the students remember this beautiful painting. 

The artwork is exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria should the children be interested in seeing it in real life.