Techniques for analysing images in VCE History Steve Thompson Westbourne Grammar School [email protected] If you would like a copy of this Powerpoint,

Techniques for analysing Techniques for analysing images in VCE Historyimages in VCE History

Steve ThompsonSteve ThompsonWestbourne Grammar SchoolWestbourne Grammar School

[email protected]

If you would like a copy of this Powerpoint, please e-mail me If you would like a copy of this Powerpoint, please e-mail me and I’ll get one to you somehowand I’ll get one to you somehow

Format for this presentation…Format for this presentation…

Pros and cons of using imagesPros and cons of using imagesThe COMA process that I useThe COMA process that I useAnalysing images from three revolutionsAnalysing images from three revolutionsDifferent sources of imagesDifferent sources of images Images in the examImages in the examSample image-based questions in the Sample image-based questions in the

exam and possible responsesexam and possible responsesTime to shareTime to share

But first…But first…

What are the pros and cons of What are the pros and cons of using images in Revolutions?using images in Revolutions?

The pros… The pros… They are primary evidence and offer a They are primary evidence and offer a

direct connection with the context studieddirect connection with the context studiedThey appeal to students who are less They appeal to students who are less

confident with text, eg. archaic languageconfident with text, eg. archaic languageAnalysing images utilises different skills Analysing images utilises different skills

and lateral thinkingand lateral thinkingThey offer scope for a broad range of They offer scope for a broad range of

individual and group tasks in class settingsindividual and group tasks in class settingsThere are cross-curricular advantages, eg. There are cross-curricular advantages, eg.

study of issues in VCE Englishstudy of issues in VCE English

The cons… The cons… Their primary nature can often be a short-Their primary nature can often be a short-

coming in terms of the info they presentcoming in terms of the info they presentStudents struggle with the concepts of Students struggle with the concepts of

symbolism, satire and lampoonerysymbolism, satire and lampooneryStudents often focus on the literal rather Students often focus on the literal rather

than the implied meanings of a sourcethan the implied meanings of a sourceStudents do not know historical symbolsStudents do not know historical symbolsStudents struggle to make links between Students struggle to make links between

points of analysis and prior knowledgepoints of analysis and prior knowledge

What process can be used?What process can be used?

COMACOMA

ContentContent

OriginOrigin

MotiveMotive

AudienceAudience

Content… Content… Content is all about the literal material inside Content is all about the literal material inside

the image… what does the student ‘see’?the image… what does the student ‘see’?

Who or what is in the image?Who or what is in the image?What is it / are they doing?What is it / are they doing?Who do you think it might represent?Who do you think it might represent?What symbols do you see?What symbols do you see?What events are being represented?What events are being represented?

Origin… Origin… Origin involves thinking about where the Origin involves thinking about where the

image came from – both when and whomimage came from – both when and whom

When was the image made? Any clues?When was the image made? Any clues?Any events you can reference?Any events you can reference?Any places shown or implied in the image?Any places shown or implied in the image?Any words? What are they? Language?Any words? What are they? Language?Who might have created the image? What Who might have created the image? What

individual or group? Why might this be?individual or group? Why might this be?

Motive… Motive… Motive is about identifying an image’s ideas Motive is about identifying an image’s ideas

and trying to evaluate its functionand trying to evaluate its function

What point-of-view is being expressed?What point-of-view is being expressed?What’s the tone: Serious? Critical? Satire?What’s the tone: Serious? Critical? Satire?What does the creator want the viewer to What does the creator want the viewer to

think and/or to feel?think and/or to feel?How valid is this perspective, based on How valid is this perspective, based on

what you know?what you know?

Audience… Audience… Audience is about trying to evaluate who the Audience is about trying to evaluate who the

image was aimed atimage was aimed at

Who might have been the target audience?Who might have been the target audience?What is a member of this audience What is a member of this audience

presumed to know before seeing the imagepresumed to know before seeing the imageHow successful was the image in conveying How successful was the image in conveying

its ideas or assessments?its ideas or assessments?

Let’s follow this process through Let’s follow this process through three different images from three different images from three different revolutions…three different revolutions…

Apotheosis of Washington

Content:• Washington in centre wearing robes, a shroud?• arms outstretched, allowing himself to be carried• light from heaven beams down on him• tombstone, “sacred to the memory of Washington”, etc.• angels lift him up to heaven• grieving Lady Liberty• grieving Indian • three grieving nuns? women?• eagle, American shield• liberty cap and pole• armour, sword, bundle rods• medallion


Origin:• obviously pro-Washington• strong religious overtones• uses many American symbols, so…• probably American in origin• relates to Washington’s death so circa 1799

Motive:• grieves Washington• elevates to almost god-like status• creates myth about the revolution and its leaders• perpetuates religious ideals• nationalist in tone, celebrates America’s virtues• shows country as united in its grief


Audience:• America after the revolution, still divided and in need of unity and commonality• some Americans sceptical about whether the revolution has fulfilled its aims?• viewer is presumed to know Washington and the many symbols present• tone is not subtle• historiographical analysis of Washington may not correspond with ideas presented in the image

Political pornography

Content:• giant penis in centre• being ridden by a member of the Second Estate, perhaps a military officer• penis has legs and is in the form of an ostrich• probably a play on Marie-Antoinette’s nationality (Austrian)• could there be a link to Louis’ problems (phimosis)?• l’Autrichienne (the Austrian bitch)• she is affectionate towards the giant penis and/or its rider, perhaps symbolises a lover?• Cupid / Eros is above, a sign of their love


Origin:• during the 1780s when Marie-Antoinette’s popularity was low• meant for public although is quite intricate, so perhaps more for salons than mobs• perhaps bourgeois in origin

Motive:• to denigrate Marie-Antoinette and portray her as unfaithful, promiscuous, laviscious• anti-Austrian overtones• critical of excesses of royalty and nobility, a la Dangerous Liaisons


Audience:• intended for people wanting satire and amusement as much as political comment• audience probably already discontented with Marie-Antoinette, eg. political activity, Affair of the Necklace• more satirical than angry so perhaps early to mid 1780s• how valid were these criticisms of Marie-Antoinette?

Comrade Lenin cleans the world…

Content:• Lenin with a broom atop the globe• both his actions and the caption suggest he his cleaning the world• Lenin wearing a suit and a boiler cap… dress that is respectable but has links to the proletariat• two kings or tsars represented (crowns, ermine furs, medals)• priest represented at bottom left (robes, headwear)• capitalist represented at bottom (suit, top hat, bag of wealth, obese)• the broom is red, the colour of communism• Lenin seems to be smiling… he is enjoying the task• the three classes being ‘cleaned’ are flailing and going reluctantly



Audience:• probably proletariat audiences, those already with some support for the revolution• some familiarity with the ideals and ambitions of the Bolsheviks is assumed• perhaps also a warning to those three classes who are being targeted?• to what extent was Lenin achieving these goals?

Some excellent images for analysis Some excellent images for analysis (see hand-out for locations):(see hand-out for locations):

American RevolutionAmerican RevolutionImages from before the American Revolution tend to criticise British attacks on the status quo or colonial rights… those during and after the revolution are more iconographic, concerned with leaders or nationalistic ideas

American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

Some images promoted unity (below) or celebrated America’s revolutionary spirit (left).

French RevolutionFrench Revolution

The three estates are the most commonly-represented group in French Revolution images


David’s image of the Tennis Court Oath (left) is the best-known image from the French Revolution. Images of liberty (top left) and Rousseau (top right) are more iconographic.


Political pornography (left) focuses on personal attributes of the royal family. British images (top right, top left) highlight the radical and violent nature of the revolution.

Russian RevolutionRussian Revolution

Old regime images often show the inequity (above) and the corruption (right) of the tsarist regime. More idealist images show the determined strength of the working people (left)

Russian RevolutionRussian Revolution

Many images focus on the short-comings and the poor political leadership of the tsar including the Russo-Japanese War (top) or his pogroms against Jews (right)

Russian RevolutionRussian RevolutionBolshevik images are often idealistic about the new society, portraying their leaders and the proletariat as giants or kindly paternalists

How to prepare studentsHow to prepare studentsRegular exposure to images: post them Regular exposure to images: post them

around the classroomaround the classroomDevelop a process for image analysis and Develop a process for image analysis and

coach students in how to use thiscoach students in how to use this10-15 minutes at the end of a lesson is a 10-15 minutes at the end of a lesson is a

good opportunity to look at an image and good opportunity to look at an image and discuss its COMA … students can link to discuss its COMA … students can link to info covered info covered withinwithin that lesson that lesson

Homework sheets structured similarly to Homework sheets structured similarly to the exam (Section B, Part 1) the exam (Section B, Part 1)

Image-based activitiesImage-based activities

““The making of…”The making of…”Students work in groups of 4-8 and Students work in groups of 4-8 and

produce a video or role-play on a produce a video or role-play on a nominated imagenominated image

Working through COMA, they construct a Working through COMA, they construct a docu-style ‘making of..’ about the image, docu-style ‘making of..’ about the image, with one student as its creator/artistwith one student as its creator/artist

Groups can work separately on the same Groups can work separately on the same image, or on different imagesimage, or on different images


““He said, she said…”He said, she said…”Teacher constructs an A3 sized poster Teacher constructs an A3 sized poster

with an image in the centre… faces of key with an image in the centre… faces of key individuals are placed around the outside, individuals are placed around the outside, speech balloons are placed on all facesspeech balloons are placed on all faces

Students fill in speech balloons for each Students fill in speech balloons for each face, responding to hints or directions from face, responding to hints or directions from the teacherthe teacher


““Talking heads…”Talking heads…”Similar process to “He said, she said…” Similar process to “He said, she said…”

except students use Powerpoint and ‘back’ except students use Powerpoint and ‘back’ the images with spoken commentary or the images with spoken commentary or narrationnarration

Slides are then presented to the class for Slides are then presented to the class for comparison and discussion… they can be comparison and discussion… they can be merged and saved for later revisionmerged and saved for later revision

Images in the examImages in the exam

It is possible that an image might appear in It is possible that an image might appear in Section A, Part 2 and/or Section B, Part 1 Section A, Part 2 and/or Section B, Part 1 of the end-of-year exam.of the end-of-year exam.

Based on information provided by VCAA to Based on information provided by VCAA to date, these sources will be accompanied date, these sources will be accompanied by structured questions with several parts.by structured questions with several parts.

Images in the examImages in the examSample tasks provided thus far suggest that a Sample tasks provided thus far suggest that a

laddered arrangement of skills will apply in each laddered arrangement of skills will apply in each set of questions, eg.set of questions, eg.

basic comprehension, eg. “what” is in the imagebasic comprehension, eg. “what” is in the image demonstration of knowledge, eg. “identify” revolutionary demonstration of knowledge, eg. “identify” revolutionary

ideas, “how” did the ideas in the image developideas, “how” did the ideas in the image develop critical evaluation, eg. “how useful” is this sourcecritical evaluation, eg. “how useful” is this source

Mark allocations will rise in line with both the difficulty of Mark allocations will rise in line with both the difficulty of questions and the length of the expected responsequestions and the length of the expected response

Let’s work through a couple of Let’s work through a couple of images and exam questions….images and exam questions….

American RevolutionThe Bostonians in Distress, 1774



Question:

a. What is suggested about colonial Americans in this representation? (2 marks)

Answer:

a. That the colonial Americans are surrounded, detained and treated harshly by Britain and its military forces. They are starving and forced into an almost barbaric state by their imprisonment.



Question:

b. Identify two details in the representation that shows anti-British feeling in the colonies? (2 marks)

Answer:

b. The colonists are denied their liberty and reduced to a state of starvation and disorder, due to the presence of British cannon and soldiers (bottom right) and naval blockade (left)



Question:

c. What revolutionary ideas are expressed in this representation? (2 marks)

Answer:

c. Liberty is perhaps the key idea, also natural rights (life, liberty and property) and colonial opposition to the presence of a standing army without their consent.



Question:d. Using your knowledge, explain why this cartoon appeared (6 marks)

Answer:d. This cartoon appeared because of the Coercive Acts (1774) which the

Americans referred to as the ‘Intolerable Acts’ because they could not be endured. Some aspects of this legislation included the suspension of the Massachusetts assembly, the closure of Boston Harbour, the establishment of a naval patrol, extra troops and a new Quartering Act which required the Bostonians to house and feed them. Virtually living under martial law, Boston citizens held illegal town meetings, stepped up communication with other colonies and the production of propaganda like ‘Bostonians in Distress’ and ‘The Able Doctor, or America swallowing the bitter draught’, suggesting that a criminal denial of liberty was being committed.



Question:e. To what extent are the revolutionary ideas in this cartoon valid and justified?

What other interpretations might exist? (8 marks)

Answer:e. The revolutionary ideas expressed in the cartoon were valid, however many

historians might suggest that the ‘distress’ of the Bostonians could be blamed on their own conduct up to 1774. Activities of Boston’s Sons of Liberty included destruction of personal and private property during the Stamp Act riots and 342 crates of tea destroyed during the Boston Tea Party; in addition, royal officials and appointees were harassed, threatened and burned in effigy, some were even assaulted or ‘tarred-and-feathered’. Marxist interpretations like those of Zinn and Jennings suggest that these incidents were sparked by elements of the colonial merchant-class, anxious to instigate separation from England to increase both their economic and political influence in their region.


Russian Revolution‘The Tsar’s wedding cake’ c.1900


Russian Revolution‘The Tsar’s wedding cake’, c.1900

Question:

a. What conditions are represented in this representation? (2 marks)

Answer:

a. The conditions represented in the image is the strict hierarchy and the gross social, economic and political inequalities in Tsarist Russia.



Question:

b. What revolutionary ideas are being expressed in this representation?(2 marks)

Answer:

b. Revolutionary ideas expressed include the lack of political representation, the exploitation of the peasant and working classes, and the misuse of the army.



Question:

c. In what way is the church depicted in this representation? (2 marks)

Answer:

c. The church in the image and in Tsarist Russia was closely linked with the ruling order, supporting the Tsar’s ‘divine right’ and promoting loyalty among the peasantry.



Question:

d. What factors have led to the creation of this representation? (6 marks)

Answer:

d. The growth of revolutionary ideas in Russia during the 1800s led to a new consciousness about the inequality of the Tsarist system. The Tsar’s refusal to undertake political reforms, his use of the army and a secret police (Okhrana) to deal with dissenters, the inequitable wealth of the land-owning classes (shown as greedy and obese in the image) and the oppressive conditions of the peasantry and industrial workers were all potentially revolutionary factors. A rise in groups such as the Narodniks and Social Democrats represented the interests of the lower classes, while liberal groups such as the Kadets emerged from the middle-classes to push for political reforms.



Question:e. Explain the usefulness of this representation in explaining why revolution

occurred in Russia in 1917? (8 marks)

Answer:e. The inequality of Russia was an underlying factor in creating revolution,

however it took crises to weaken Tsarism for revolution to occur. Inequality had existed in Russia for centuries, however through its control of the army, propaganda and information, and the support of the church, Tsarism was generally able to protect its hold on power. Only when economic crisis combined with war and revolutionary movements, such as in 1905 and then in 1917, was Tsarism threatened. Consequently the ideas in the image were not critical in causing revolution, mainly because numbers of urban workers were not large enough to topple the Tsar; the peasantry was too diverse, too divided and scattered and had little ‘revolutionary consciousness’. Marxist historians suggest that class inequality results in exploitation of the proletariat, so would view inequality as a significant cause of revolution in Russia.

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Techniques for analysing images in VCE History Steve Thompson Westbourne Grammar School [email protected] If you would like a copy of this Powerpoint,