CSI Crime Scene Investigation - Creation, Responsive, Investigative, Meaning, and Evaluating Art Historical Laboratory

Doug Moench wrote an interesting piece in his novel called, 'The Forensic Files of Batman' that drew my interest as an artist and an art teacher teaching at a K-12 school in rural Vermont.
He wrote,"The best evidence in any murder is always offered by the "silent witness" of the victim's corpse. In other words, dead men actually do tell tales, although their stories must be teased out, bit by bit and one layer at a time. Even then, the narrative proceeds only in fits and starts, and only in a foreign language of visual symbols. These hieroglyphics, etched into lifeless flesh and bone must be decoded and interpreted by an expert..."
Those experts just happen to be my students and the "silent witness" is the various paintings and artworks that we investigate in class one at a time through a variety of ways to find out how it was made, what the artist was witness to in their community, society, and culture, how the artwork impacted the world then and/or now, and what does the artwork tell us about the artist. The artwork in this laboratory is the "lifeless flesh and bone" that has to be investigated and questioned by students in order to learn about its significance to us today.
For this first CSI lesson, I have chosen the painting, 'The Death of Marat' by Jacques Louis David. I have the students all make their own CSI sketchbook with lined paper added so they can write about their investigations as well as sketch ideas of what the art work makes them think about. They draw individually but investigate in teams much like CSI, the television show.
I begin with talking about the political figure, Marat and all that was happening when he was alive. A very interesting person might I add since he had a severe skin ailment due to immense time spent in the French sewers in hiding. After explaining about the curcumstances surrounding Marat, I then talk about the artist who knew Marat and was able to se the scene of the crime shortly after the murder happened. David used this knowledge to communicate both the horror and the judgment on Marat's behalf. We discuss together the idea that artists use their skills politically to change people's minds about things and get people's sympathy.
I then tell them that they are going to illustrate the words I speak about what art critiques of Marat's time said about the artwork we are investigating and also read to them the newspaper account of what "really" happened. Then, when we are done I will show them a reproduction of the actual artwork called, 'The Death of Marat'.
I have to pause here because students will judge whether they should be able to see the artwork first, then illustrate it but I want fresh eyes for this. I really am looking for their artistic interpretation first. Just like in a real CSI investigation, the experts use their senses to really look at the scene, but I am not letting my students see too much. It's still under investigation. Not even I have all the answers.
After reading the accounts and taking time to spend drawing and coloring in (since the murderer had red hair), we look at each other's work. I notice that their artwork is very similar to the actual painting and I say this out loud.Hmm.
This is not the first time this has happened. I then show the actual painting of Marat in the bathtub and we take time to really look, absorbing the scene and being reflective.
Now it is time to go to the computers and as teams of investigators, learn more about the painting, the artist and even the murderer. "Why?" we ask ourselves and we really want to find out!
This process takes several classes as we gather information about the artwork being investigated. Next, we do one of several things. We looks at the various hieroglyphics ore symbols that made the painting very meaningful in the height of the murder, but are fuzzy to us now in the 21st century. This search is usually very rewarding because the symbols are classic art history and can be interpreted using different more modern images to say the same thing.
I then have the teams scan into their computers the actual painting and have them write their interpretations and ideas in their investigation sketchbooks. I let them have fun making changes to the painting to enhance it's meanings by drawing and altering through the layers in Photoshop CS3 trying to convey their ideas of what the painting should look like today. I ask them how they would change it to make it meaningful to us. Would the bathroom be modern, would you show Marat's skin ailment and how was he able to be writing letters in the bathtub...on a laptop?
By now, students have learned a lot about this artwork, the artist, and the political scene surrounding the artwork. Since this is the students first CSI laboratory, I want the students to demonstrate what they have learned and decide to have the teams put on a skit about what they have learned. In this way, I can assess whether they are learning art history and what are they getting out of investigating artists and their artwork. This helps me understand if my students are learning and if I need to change anything. Other times, I have students turn the action of the painting into a cartoon interpretation through their own voice.
I take photos throughout the skits piecing together visual references to wha the students have learned. We add the photos to our team photo files and talk. Our discussion is vun to listen to and uplifting. Later on, I notice students making references to Marat, and even see elements of the painting in their own work. I take the time to explain David's technique and the artists that had profound effects on his art and his thought. The students want to learn about Caravaggio next since he was David's inspiration. Caravaggio is our next CSI Laboratory Investigation. I just have to choose a painting...one with blood this time and then, maybe a Gentileschi painting since she also was inspired by Caravaggio and painted a beheading!