Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: American Women: Cecilia Beaux
A brief biography of Cecelia Beaux, portraitist and one of the most successful female artist of her era. Included is a self-portrait.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: American Women: Portrait of Lucretia Mott
An interesting portrait of Lucretia Mott and a brief account of her activities as a social reformer.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Luther (Bill "Bojangles" ) Robinson
A portrait of Bojangles Robinson by caricaturist Al Hirshfeld. Listen to Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, discuss his technique.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Louise Nevelson Self Portrait
Listen to Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, as she discusses the self-portrait of Louise Nevelson.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: A Self Alex Katz
Listen to a critique of Alex Katz' self-portrait by Wendy Wicks Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: John Frederick Finerty by Diego Rivera
Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, explains how this charcoal drawing by Diego Rivera reflects his usual medium of painting murals.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Frederick Smith
Read about Frederick Smith's business plan for Federal Express, which he developed while in college. Included is a hedcut from an exhibit of hedcuts from Wall Street Journal.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Bill Gates
A hedcut of Bill Gates from the Wall Street Journal along with a brief account of his development of Microsoft Corporation.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Paul Allen
From an exhibit of hedcuts from the Wall Street Journal. Two dot-drawings of Paul Allen accompany a biography of this computer entrepreneur.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Oprah Winfrey
As part of an exhibit of hedcuts from the Wall Street Journal is this picture of Oprah Winfrey accompanied by a brief biography emphasizing her success in business.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: Everett Shinn
Brief essay about the artistic interests of American artist Everett Shinn.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: French
Brief biographical sketch of sculptor Daniel Chester French.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: Willem De Kooning
Brief essay about the artistic interests of Dutch-born American art legend Willem de Kooning.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: Adolph Gottlieb
Brief essay about the artistic interests of American artist Adolph Gottlieb.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Thomas Paine: The Radical Founding Father
Learn about Thomas Paine through text that accompanies selections from an exhibition of portraits of Paine and artifacts from his writings
Smithsonian Institution
Civil War@smithsonian: Winslow Homer's Civil War Sketches
During the Civil War, Winslow Homer was a freelance artist for "Harper's Weekly," a leading news magazine of the day. This site examines Homer's work, which documents the lives of the soldiers who fought for the North. Includes an...
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: For Lands' Sake: George Washington as Land Surveyor
This lesson plan invites the students to explore land surveying in the 18th century. Read an 18th-century land survey and decipher what is actually being said.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Who Am I? (Portrait Puzzler)
Match the portraits of eight famous Americans who played major roles in the American Revolution with their famous deeds. A short exercise that can be used by individual learners to test their understanding of basic U.S. history content...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: Forces of Change: Worm Watch [Pdf]
Over a period of a week to ten days students observe the impact worms have on soil. Seven easily obtainable objects are all that is needed to complete this activity. 45 minutes are required for setup and some additional time for...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: History Wired: Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Learn about the great big band leader Duke Ellington at this informative website. This site highlights his life and career in a well written article.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Listen to the comments of Wendy Wick Reaves, curator at the National Portrait Gallery, as she discusses the art of William Zorach in the portrait he did of Edna St. Vincent Millay.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Robert F. Kennedy
Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, makes observations about the portrait of Robert Kennedy by Roy Lichtenstein.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Beauford Delaney by Georgia O'keeffe
Fascinating observations of Georgia O'Keeffe's portrait of Beauford Delaney. Listen to Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, explain O'Keeffe's use of pastels.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Stuart Davis
Wendy Wick Reaves,a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, discusses the pencil drawing by Stuart Davis and explains how he achieves the look of his self-portrait.