Learning to Look, Learning to Speak: Beginning French through Art

Course Description

Summary

This course uses the visual arts of the French-speaking world as a way into the language itself. From the first day, you will learn to describe what you see: colors, shapes, people, places, gestures. Gradually you will move on to telling stories, expressing opinions, and asking questions about works of art. Along the way, we will look at how artists from France, Quebec, West Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond have represented daily life, including family and friendship, home, leisure, work, and food. We will ask what their images reveal about the implicit codes and values that shape the Francophone world. Emphasis will be placed on building confidence and accuracy in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Class will be conducted primarily in French and will revolve around authentic materials such as paintings, photographs, street art, bande dessinée, museum websites, and short texts by and about artists. No prior knowledge of French is required.