Monday, 27 March 2017

Behind the Painting

Hi there everyone!

Again, sorry for the long absences. As some of you already know, I'm working on a PhD and this is the most absorbing thing I've ever done, bar none. Well, maybe except having a newborn baby! But yesterday I was feeling kind of lazy so I looked for a nice video for you all.

This is from a series of videos provided by the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin, which give you a certain background on highlights of their collection. This one is about a very famous painting there, which has been dubbed "the best-loved painting in Ireland": The Meeting on the Turret Stairs. The story behind the scene in the painting is also really moving, if you want to take a look at it. It was inspired by a Danish ballad about an ill-fated love.

So, time for some work! Here I leave you activities in three steps:

1. Check pronunciation and meaning of this art-related vocabulary before you listen:

miniature (portraits)
watercolour
narrative genre scene
oil painting
a gilt frame
glazes


... and non-art-related vocabulary:

he started off as
it was highly regarded
it was snapped up by a dealer
to mistake sth for sth else
to make a pilgrimage


2. Complete these phrases with a maximum of three words.

He was ___________ of his career
He ___________  to copyright
Vulnerable to ___________ 
A balance over ___________  and ___________ 
This is the flexible approach that we've tried to ___________ 


3. Answer these questions:

What did writer George Eliot say about the theme of the painting? And about the knight?
What happened once Burton became director of the National Gallery in London?
Why is it important to protect this painting from light?


This time, I'm going to leave three days before I publish the key. Make sure you leave some comments! I'd love to kear from you and about your answers or doubts!

Enjoy the video and the Irish accent!





2 comments:

  1. Hi everyone! I answered this for:
    2)
    He was at hight
    He held on to copyright
    Vulnerable ?
    A balance over trying to make sure people can see it and overexposure.
    This is the flexbile approach taht we've tried to put it.

    3)
    3.1) Took a team which could potentially being very vulgar and race to the highest level imaginable.
    He is a man whom kiss is a sacrament.

    3.2) He brought may very wonderful paintings for that collecting including Leonardo's.
    3.3) It is fake watecolour very very ruflely

    Regards, David.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He was ___at the height ________ of his career
    He ____held on _______ to copyright
    Vulnerable to ___damage by overexposure to light________
    A balance over ___trying to make sure that people can see ________ and ___at the same time protect it from overexposure________
    This is the flexible approach that we've tried to __come up with _________


    3. Answer these questions:

    What did writer George Eliot say about the theme of the painting? She said that the romance could be realised form the beginning but the painter took a topic that could potentially have been very vulgar and raised it to the highest level imaginable
    And about the knight?
    She noted the face of the knight , his amount the kisses of Sacrament
    What happened once Burton became director of the National Gallery in London?
    He was director for 20 years. HE included very good paintings including Leonardo's paintings

    Why is it important to protect this painting from light?
    Because it is a work on pair? and therefore very vulnerable to light since it is not really watercolor.
    Best,

    ReplyDelete