In the Kitchen

THE KITCHEN is where we typically prepare a meal to eat with friends, family, and other special people in our lives. Have you shared a meal with anyone today? What did you eat?

Let’s Play I Spy

This painting shows us the inside of a kitchen. It might look different from yours! Can you find 3 things that are different? Can you also find 3 things that are the same?

A horizontally oriented oil painting depicts a large room with muted brown walls and a gray ceiling. Centered, a red fire glows within a fireplace beneath a hanging pot. To our left, a boy with a light skin tone stands beside a spotted dog. To our right, a woman with a light skin tone in a gray dress operates a spinning wheel. Wooden furniture and large windows furnish the rustic interior.
In the Kitchen, before 1932. Frank E. Case. 1956.782

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Play a game of I Spy using this painting and your own kitchen as inspiration. Start with these hints:

I spy . . . a four-legged friend. Do any pets like to play in your kitchen?

I spy . . . a place to sit. Where do you sit when you eat?

I spy . . . something that tells time. Where can you find the time in your kitchen?

I spy . . . something warm. How do you usually cook your food?

Now come up with your own hints to see if others can guess what items you found in your kitchen.

Imaginary Feast!

These three objects were used to hold different kinds of food during special ceremonies and celebrations. Use your imagination and draw what food might be inside each container. Take turns sharing your ideas with friends or family members. Did anyone draw the same food? Then put all your drawings together and have an imaginary feast! Share your drawings using #CMAInTheKitchen.

An oval silver tureen rests on four curved, leaf-shaped feet. Scrolling handles extend to our left and right, while a domed lid is topped with a bud-shaped handle nestled in leaves. Horizontal bands of decorative reeding encircle the body and lid. At the front center, an elaborate engraved heraldic shield is framed by scrolling foliage. The polished surface glimmers, showing dark highlights within the fine engravings and textured details.
Covered Tureen, 1753. England. 1989.214
A red lacquer food box with a notched footprint features four stacked tiers on a matching stand. Against the red background, intricate floral vines in muted greens, yellows, and reds bloom, detailed with fine gold lines. These patterns wrap around the sides and cover the flat top. Below, four curved legs join a base frame mirroring the box's irregular shape, supporting the ornate, vertically stacked structure.
Tiered Food Box with Stand, late 1700s. Japan. 1989.5
A muted green and brown bronze vessel sits on a square base. Intricate, raised geometric patterns interlock across its rounded body and dome-shaped lid. Two large, S-shaped handles feature horned, animal-like creatures with open mouths. Atop the lid is a crown of flared, open-work metal petals. Light catches the weathered surface, highlighting the rhythmic depth of the ornate carvings and aged metal across the heavy, ancient form.
Food Container (Gui), 600–500 BC. China. 1974.73

Exploring the Senses

Food helps us explore our different senses: taste, smell, sound, appearance, and texture. Look at the painting and pick one piece of food. Write a response to the prompts and read your answers to a family member or friend. Can they guess which food you’re looking at? Next time you sit down to eat, think about how each food tastes, smells, sounds, looks, and feels!

A colorful, horizontally oriented oil painting depicts various foods on a table including a basket overflowing with vegetables, meat on platters, and fruits scattered across the tablecloth.
Still Life with Meat, Fish, Vegetables, and Fruit, c. 1615–20. Jacob van Hulsdonck. 2018.258

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I taste __________. (What do you think your food tastes like? Bitter, salty, delicious? You choose!)

I smell __________. (What do you think your food smells like? Fishy, sweet, fresh?)

I hear __________. (What kind of sound do you think your food makes? Crunch, slurp, splat?)

I see __________. (What color or shape best describes your food?)

I feel __________. (What do you think your food feels like? Warm, cold, bumpy? Describe it!)

Extra Challenge

Food art is the art of preparing food in a creative way. Some chefs are inspired by designs and patterns found in art. Take a look at the CMA’s Collection Online and find an artwork with an interesting pattern. Using the object as inspiration, prepare a snack for you and your family. Take a picture before you eat. Share your design and the CMA object using #CMAFoodArt.

 

Let’s Play I Spy: In the Kitchen, before 1932. Frank E. Case (American, 1849–1932). Oil on canvas. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Anonymous gift in memory of Frank Case and Theano Wattles Case, 1956.782

Imaginary Feast!: Covered Tureen, 1753. Edward Wakelin (British, active 1730–66). Silver; 24.3 x 40.4 x 22.8 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. Severance A. Millikin, 1989.214.a–b

Tiered Food Box with Stand, late 1700s. Japan, Edo period (1615–1868). Red lacquer over wood core, with litharge painting and engraved gold designs (Ryukyuan); 53 x 68 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1989.5.a–b

Food Container (Gui), 600–500 BC. China, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BC), Spring and Autum period (770–476 BC). Bronze; 34.3 x 44.5 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund, 1974.73

Exploring the Senses: Still Life with Meat, Fish, Vegetables, and Fruit, c. 1615–20. Jacob van Hulsdonck (Flemish, 1582–1647). Oil on panel, the reverse prepared with gesso; 71.5 x 104 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Janice Hammond and Edward Hemmelgarn, 2018.258