Year 4 have studied examples of landscapes and trees by the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt. The pupils have responded to his distinctive use of repetitive colours and marks by designing their own tree compositions using a combination of collage and paint. After sketching a simple tree shape, they began by tearing coloured tissue paper and gluing it to their page, overlapping and repeating their chosen colours. In the following lesson, the pupils developed the colours further by applying paint using a dabbing motion with a brush or small sponge. They will finish their pieces by layering additional colours and creating clear definition between the tree and the background.

Year 4 also enjoyed watching the Sotheby’s auction of Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, which became the second most expensive painting ever sold last November, fetching an astonishing £179 million!