LESSON 1.

MAJOR ART MOVEMENTS OF XVII-XX CENTURIES

Discussion
1. Discuss the following questions with a partner.
 What types of visual art do you enjoy?
 To what groups of society is art directed today?
 In what direction is modern art developing, in your opinion? What trend is it leaning
towards?
 What makes fine arts attractive to people of different generations and different times?
 What methods, if any, have been used to teach you to create or appreciate art?
 Who is your favourite artist? What is your favourite painting?
• Какие виды изобразительного искусства вам нравятся?
• На какие группы общества сегодня направлено искусство?
• В каком направлении, на ваш взгляд, развивается современное искусство? К какой
тенденции он склоняется?
• Что делает изобразительное искусство привлекательным для людей разных
поколений и разного времени?
• Какие методы, если таковые были, использовались, чтобы научить вас создавать или
ценить искусство?
• Кто ваш любимый художник? Какая твоя любимая картина?

2. Match the art movement (1-10) with a correct definition (a-j).

1. Classicism a) the depiction of subjects as they appear

in everyday life, without embellishment
2. Cubism or interpretation.
b) a term generally relating to the paintings
3. Expressionism of Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and
Seurat;  they accepted the impressionists'
4. Impressionism use of light with bright colours and
conspicuous paint handling, but rejected
5. Naturalism their casual compositional structure.
c) the depiction of realistic objects in a
6. Pop-Art natural setting.
d) a style that emphasizes harmony, balance,
7. Postimpressionism orderly form and emotional restraint in
imitation of the arts of ancient Greece
8. Realism and Rome.
e) a style characterized by using the
9. Romanticism subconscious as a source of creativity; the
paintings often depict unexpected or
10. Surrealism irrational objects in an atmosphere of
fantasy, creating a dreamlike scenario.
Classicism (D) (17 век) f) a style which celebrates mass culture and
Romanticism (H) 18в consumerism, often uses techniques from
Realism (A) (1850s) commercial art and advertising.
Impressionism (B) (1860г g) an art style developed by Picasso and
19в) Braque whereby the artist breaks down
Naturalism (C) (1865 to the natural forms of the subjects into
1900) 19-20в geometric shapes.
Postimpressionism (J) h) the movement that elevated the
(between 1886 and individual, the passions, the inner life,
1905) stressed strong emotion, imagination,
Cubism (G) (1907г. 20в) freedom from classical correctness and
Surrealism (E) (1910s) rebellion against social conventions.
Expressionism (I) (1912г i) emotional art, in which there is a desire to
20в) express what is felt rather than perceived
Pop-Art (F) 1950s or reasoned, most often boldly executed
and making free use of distortion.
j) a style of painting that originated in
France about 1870. Paintings of casual
subjects, executed outdoors, using
divided brush strokes to capture the mood
of a particular moment as defined by the
transitory effects of light and colour.

3. The art movements in the previous exercise are listed in the alphabetical order. Arrange them in order
of their appearance in art history, from the oldest to the most modern.

TEXT 1. THE ROMANTIC TRADITION IN BRITISH ART

1. What painters of the Romantic tradition do you know? Can you name any of their paintings?
Карл Брюллов Charles Bruleau (Daughters of Pacini, Giovannina and Amazilia, 1832, The Last
Day of Pompeii)

2. Read the first part of the text “The Romantic Tradition in British Art”. Answer the questions.
1) In opposition to which artistic movement was Romanticism formed? Why is Romanticism
called a “revolt” against it?
In the visual arts, romanticism began to denote a departure from classical forms and an emphasis
on emotional and spiritual themes. Fueled by the sudden social changes that occurred during the
French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, Romanticism emerged as a rebellion against
neoclassicism and emphasized order, harmony, balance, idealization, and rationality.
2) What does “trepidation” mean?
a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen
3) What does “sublimity of untamed nature” mean?

4) What social changes occurred during the time when Romanticism appeared?
the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era
5) Point out the main features of Romanticism. Dwell upon the following points:
a) the way nature is painted;
Painters loved and worshipped nature and were dedicated to examining human personality and
moods.
b) colour scheme and brushwork;
Painting techniques generally encompass bright, vibrant colours, or paler and darker tones that do not
provide contrast within the painting, but are rather blended and create a softer image.
c) the themes the Romantic artists focused on.
Although nature was an important concept of the Romantic era, there were other themes and emotions
that many of the Romantic artists focused on. Emotions were expressed over reason, and senses were
expressed over intellect. They were intrigued by moods, heroes, the inner struggles, the genius, the
passion, the mysterious and unknown, the medieval, the exotic and even the "satanic".
6) Explain the meaning of the expressions “vibrant colours” (bright) and “blurred perception”.
PART 1
 Romanticism originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained
strength during the Industrial Revolution. It is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that
was partly a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and a
reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature. Romanticism was embodied most strongly in the
visual arts, music, and literature.
The movement stressed strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis
on such emotions as trepidation, horror and awe – especially that which is experienced in confronting the
sublimity of untamed nature and its picturesque qualities, both new aesthetic categories. In the visual arts,
Romanticism came to signify the departure from classical forms and an emphasis on emotional and
spiritual themes. Caused by the sudden social changes that occurred during the French Revolution and the
Napoleonic era, Romanticism was formed as a revolt against Neoclassicism and laid an emphasis on
order, harmony, balance, idealization, and rationality.
Romantic artists believed in spontaneity, freedom from boundaries and rules, and living a solitary
life free from societal boundaries. They believed that imagination was superior to reason and beauty.
They loved and worshipped nature and were dedicated to examining human personality and moods.
Romantics were inherently curious, investigating folk cultures, ethnic origins, the medieval era.
British Romantic Art typically uses nature and sympathetic real life experiences to convey and
emphasize emotion, in similar manners as the poets from Romanticism. Nature can be portrayed as a
serene landscape, as seen in William Turner’s Landscape with a River and a Bay in the Distance. In other
paintings, nature’s uncontrollable power and danger is portrayed in shipwrecks and man’s struggle with
nature, as in William Turner’s The Slave Ship. Romantic artists used their art to portray their love and
connection with nature. Their painting techniques generally encompass bright, vibrant colours, or paler
and darker tones that do not provide contrast within the painting, but are rather blended and create a softer
image. Many times, the immediate focus of the eye is drawn to some component of nature rather than the
manmade aspects. Many times the painter’s brush strokes do not create precise lines, but are vague and
provide a “blurred” perception.
Although nature was an important concept of the Romantic era, there were other themes and
emotions that many of the Romantic artists focused on. Emotions were expressed over reason, and senses
were expressed over intellect. This philosophy of portraying emotions and senses was primarily
developed out of a disgust of the focus on reason during the Enlightenment, and wanted to bring art back
to feelings and sentiments. They were intrigued by moods, heroes, the inner struggles, the genius, the
passion, the mysterious and unknown, the medieval, the exotic and even the "satanic". Rules and
regulations were put aside and emotional and spiritual needs began to rule the movements of the brush.

3. Read the second part of the text. Give definitions of the following words and word-combinations and
translate them into Russian.
Saturated - holding as much water or moisture as can be absorbed; thoroughly soaked (насыщенный),
Meticulously - in a way that shows great attention to detail; very thoroughly (тщательно, придирчиво),
Brush strokes - the way in which something, especially paint, is put on to a surface with a brush (мазкт
ктсти),
To fuse together - something combines into one (сливаться, смешиваться в одно),
Hue - a colour or shade (оттенок),
Luminous - giving off light; bright or shining (светящийся).
4. In what way are the styles of Turner and Constable different? What do they have in common?
PART 2
William Turner (1775-1851) was a quintessential example of an artist during the Romantic period
in England and was known as one of the best landscape painters. Turner’s greatest ambition of the time
was to transform landscape painting into a serious art form. Most of his works greatly embody the
romantic style of art. He had his own technique of painting with water colours; where he poured wet paint
on the canvas until it was saturated. From there he scratched and scrubbed at the paint until it created a
feeling of frenzy or chaos on the canvas that was true to nature. Turner also traveled abundantly to Italy
and the lower countries during his lifetime, influencing his love and curiosity for nature. It is to be noted
that many of his masterpieces involved fires, storms, and glowing light, and it is through these particular
paintings that he was able to express “the forces of nature and their importance for mankind.”
John Constable (1776-1837) was another of the great landscape painters during England's
Romantic period. Constable's style was different from Turner in that he did not use his imagination at all;
rather he took the time to observe nature around him and meticulously painted what he saw. When
painting, Constable was known for using varying tones of colour, short brush strokes, and the colours
fusing together creating one hue. This technique gave his paintings a luminous quality. Constable also
discovered that when light is reflected off a glossy surface, the colour is temporarily destroyed; because
of this some of his paintings have flickers of light that are today known as, “Constable’s snow”. The
overall message that Constable wanted people to receive was his personal view of nature. He wanted
people to appreciate nature as much as he did and to form their own opinion and view as to what nature
meant to them.

5. Read the third part of the text. Quote the sentences in which the following words and word-
combinations occur, give their definitions and translate them into Russian.
To curtail - reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on (урезать, сокращать),
Elegiac - expressing sadness (грустный),
Curator - a person in charge of a museum, library, etc // смотритель,
In tune with - having a good understanding of someone or something // гармонировать, ладить,
находиться в согласии с кем-либо, чем-либо, соответствовать кому-либо, чему-либо,
Resurgence - an increase or revival after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence //
Восстановление,
Impeccably - in accordance with the highest standards; faultlessly // безукоризненно,
receptacle of memory вместилище памяти,
tremulous - shaking slightly трепетный,
inexorable - impossible to stop or prevent. Неумолимый, неприклонный,
painterly - of or appropriate to a painter; artistic. живописно.
6. Answer the following questions.
1) How did Romanticism develop at the beginning of the XXth century?
2) What is meant by the Recording Britain project?
to make drawings, paintings and prints at the war fronts…and on the land, and of the changed life of the
towns and villages
3) Point out the main features of Neo-Romanticism. What representatives of the trend do you
know?
4) Speak about the romantic tradition in the present-day British art.

PART 3
During the 1920s young British artists began to re-discover the work of their Romantic
predecessors. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Britain's national existence was seriously
threatened, opportunities for foreign travel were severely curtailed, and the government sought to
encourage a patriotic sense of identification and engagement with the landscape and its monuments. In
1940 a scheme was launched 'to make drawings, paintings and prints at the war fronts…and on the land,
and of the changed life of the towns and villages, thus making a permanent record of life during the war
which would be a memorial to the national effort'. What became known as the Recording Britain project
employed many of the country's finest artists to produce over 1500 watercolours, which were exhibited
widely before joining the national collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
John Piper's Tithe Barn, Berkshire is a characteristic product of this elegiac and backward-
looking figurative genre, dubbed 'Neo-Romanticism' in 1942 by the painter and curator Robin
Ironside. He observed: ‘Among the artists to be considered here under the vague heading of "neo-
romanticism", John Piper is, by temperament, most in tune with the national heritage... a romantic
vision which, though still profiting from the lessons of abstraction, was distinctly descended from the
English water-colourists of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is a vision that has revived the
possibilities of the "picturesque" in the painting of landscape and architecture, possibilities which
embrace the most dramatic of nature's effects and which Piper has developed with an unruffled skill and a
vivid theatrical sentiment’.
This insular movement faltered in the face of Abstract Expressionism and the pop culture of the
1950s and 1960s. The subsequent resurgence of figurative painting, and a general reassessment of
man's relationship with his natural environment, encouraged a revival of interest in Romanticism.
Despite their impeccably post-modernist credentials, the haunting sculptures of Rachel
Whiteread evoke a romantic sense of yearning for a lost or unrealised past. Her sculpture House (1993)
was a concrete cast of the interior of a Victorian terraced house - the most characteristic type of British
residential property, and a receptacle of memory for their millions of inhabitants - which were
demolished in untold thousands during post-war urban renewal. The interaction between a tremulous
present and an inexorable past is similarly characteristic of the novels of Peter Ackroyd.
At the start of the new millennium, the history of 20th century art in Britain looks less like the
triumphal progress of international modernism than the periodic reassertion of an insular, painterly
figuration, distrustful of theoretical systems, and deeply attached to the art of the past. Although it has
assumed many guises since the 18th century, the romantic spirit continues to haunt British art.

7. Match the following synonyms.

1. Revolt (c) a. Tranquil 5
2. Trepidation (l) b. Diminish
3. Untamed (g) c. Protest 1
4. Spontaneity (i) d. Indistinct 6
5. Serene (a) e. Illuminated 8
6. Blurred (d) f. Revival 11
7. Saturated (m) g. Wild 3
8. Luminous (e) h. Scrupulous 9
9. Meticulous (h) i. Ingenuousness
10. Curtail (b) j. Merciless 13
11. Resurgence (f) k. Immaculate 12
12. Impeccable (k) l. Trembling 2
13. Inexorable (j) m. Imbued 7
1. Бунт а. Спокойный
2. Тревога б. Уменьшить
3. Неукротимый c. Протест
4. Спонтанность d. Нечеткое
5. Безмятежный е. С подсветкой
6. Размытые f. Возрождение
7. Насыщенный g. Дикий
8. Световой h. Скрупулезный
9. Дотошный i. Наивность
10. Свернуть j. Безжалостный
11. Возрождение k. Безупречный
12. Безупречный l. Дрожь
13. Неумолимый m. Пропитанный