Lesson Plan
by Adam Tavel
after Joseph Wright’s The Corinthian Maid, c. 1782-1784
Who remembers our discussion of myth from yesterday?
we lied and said the world began with light
In Wright’s composition, what is Butades doing on the wall?
she steals her lover’s silhouetted face
And why does she sketch his profile hastily in charcoal?
his death has come to mock that boyish spear
When in history is this painting set?
in ancient Corinth girls would swoon for shades
Where did Joseph Wright flourish as an artist?
he cupped such shards rinsed clean by English rain
Can you describe his color palette?
a smashed amphora’s belly stained from wine
How best can we understand the Neoclassical impulse?
they searched an earthquake oracle for moans
Can you connect this painting to other works we’ve studied?
all history is a child whose grave’s unmarked
Are there any questions before we take our quiz?
how long until she smudged his trace away
Adam Tavel is the author of six books of poetry, most recently Green Regalia (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2022). You can find him online at http://adamtavel.com/