One of the joys of a good read set with real locations and famous artists is being able to take time to delve into details of intriguing stories which “accidentally” end up as a mini-unit study of Raphael and New York City. Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald is a wonderful story to highlight a little geography of New York City, a bit of Raphael artist study, and an interesting facet of World War II involving the Monuments Men.
This book is great as a read-straight- sort of book and is included in our adventure read aloud list, but it really stands out in your teen’s mind when you take a moment to check out the real places and artist in the story. Follow along and your teen will remember Raphael a whole lot better than just memorizing great artists and timelines.
Under the Egg Summary
Theo, a 13 year old Manhattan resident, struggles to keep their family home afloat while her mom is lost in math formulas and her grandpa picks arguments with everyone. Feeding the chickens, pickling beets, and scavenging for curbside freebies, she tends to stick to herself.
After her grandpa passes away, leaving a cryptic last dying message for her, she discovers that the painting in her grandpa’s studio that has been a fixture over the fireplace for decades is not all it seems. With the help of her new neighbor friend, the cool librarian, the Jewish archivist, and the MET, Theo embarks on a mystery of the painting and just who her grandpa really was.
Along the way, Theo has a crash course in Raphael, the Monuments Men of WW II, authenticity testing techniques for paintings, and the Berga labor camp. Is the MET curator a friend or a greedy collector? The painting sure looks authentic, is it really? What ever happened to Anna, the Jewish girl who went missing?
Expanding your view to the real thing:
Here are a few ideas to expand your knowledge of Raphael and New York City to become more real. These resources listed include links to videos, articles, and free resources. Follow along and choose what you would like to look into.
Many of the resources will be visually based as well as a few taste experiences and mapwork.
These resources are best for middle school aged teens due to the serious nature of WW II and concentration camps. Note: you may need to buy specific tea beforehand to have it ready in the appropriate places.
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Manhattan and Greenwich Village
Google Earth Manhattan and Greenwich Village. Take a look at a few youtube videos on Greenwich Village, what townhouses are, and a look at the MET. Here are a few to explore:
- Greenwich Village Walking Tour
- Print out this map coloring sheet and fill in the burroughs and Hudson River. Use this map for further chapters.
All About a Townhouse
- Make some refrigerator pickled beets or just cook up some easy Harvard beets for dinner.
- Add Hudson River to your map
- Try Rooibos tea
- 200 Year old Townhouse tour
Great Museums
- Met: A look at old masters video
- Locate the area Jack was a guard on the MET floor map
- Check out a few of the other great museums of Manhattan
- Here’s another great compilation resource from Sotheby’s on great museums
Could it be Raphael?
- Watch Raiders of the Lost Arts
Could it Be Fake?
- How to Spot a Fake Painting
- Fill in the definition of terms on the painter sheet below. Click image to download.
To the Library!
- Try Irish Breakfast tea
- Play some Benny Goodman music during the day
- Check out pictures of inside the Jefferson Market Library’s Tower
- What is a Collective Living Experience or Co-Living?
The Great Painters
- Check out Vermeer forgeries
- La Velata painting
- The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters by Giorgio Vasari
- Who was Fra Angelico
- Raphael’s Self Portrait at the Uffizi
Met Exhibits
- Temple of Dendor MET exhibit
- Gubbio Studiolo Optical Illusion
- The Chinese Garden courtyard
- Figure Five in Gold
- Raphael’s Colonna Altarpiece below
- Raphael’s Elisabetta Gonzaga below
Raphael’s Colonna Altarpiece: Image Public Domain via MET
Raphael’s Elisabetta Gonzaga, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Another Stolen Painting?
- Check out the Central Park Roller Skater’s Circle, locate on the New York City map from Chapter 1
- Willem De Kooning art samples
- Raphael’s Madonna Della Seggiola
Rapheal’s Madonna Delia Seggiola, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The X-Ray
This is a fascinating look at what is under some classic paintings as shown by x-ray. I never knew there was a drawing under there.
Into Europe
- Investigate Stalag IX-B photos of Google. There are a few old reel clips if you want to see some original footage but pictures are easier to find.
- Mapwork: plot lines on a worldmap – Mississippi, England, France, Belgium, and Munich of Jack’s journey during the war.
Hitler and the Monuments Men
- Watch Monuments Men movie. Be aware that this movie is rated PG-13. There are a few swear words and the subject matter is too mature for small children.
- Hitler’s Nero Decree
- Altaussee Salt Mines
Get your eel
- What is Unagi-don? Where we live, eel is not an item I would be able to find in the grocery store. Here is a fun faux eel recipe to try and make your kids squeal.
- Battle of the Bulge short clip
Deeper into enemy territory
- Mapwork: locate Staten Island on the New York City map
- Locate Auschwitz and Buchenwald on a map
- Read Genesis 15
- These Berga photographs give a look at how badly the prisoners were starved. Caution: please preview to see if appropriate for your young teen. I just pulled up one of the first ones for view instead of scrolling over all of them for viewing to my teen.
Library Science
Rescuing the Children
- This is an encouraging look at one of the locations for the rescue of children. This helps to see what Anna may have seen after being smuggled out.
A question of Math
- Try Lapsang Souchong tea
- Where does Fermet’s Last Theorem pop -up? Check out Homer Simpson.
Vermeer and The Great Escape
- Watch the classic The Great Escape with Steve McQueen for free on Amazon Prime.
- For the next art escapade adventure, consider Chasing Vermeer which my junior highers enjoyed as an audio book from the library for car trips.
- The Vermeer forgery tricking the Nazi’s
