Leonardo da vinci’s mona lisa

Early in 1503 Leonardo was back again in Florence, and set to work in earnest on the "Portrait of Mona Lisa", now in the Louvre (No. 1601). Lisa di Anton Maria di Noldo Gherardini was the daughter of Antonio Gherardini. In 1495 she married Francesco di Bartolommeo de Zenobi del Giocondo. It is from the surname of her husband that she derives the name of "La Joconde," by which her portrait is officially known in the Louvre.

Vasari is probably inaccurate in saying that Leonardo “loitered over it for four years, and finally left it unfinished.” He may have begun it in the spring of 1501 and, probably owing to having taken service under Cesare Borgia in the following year, put it on one side, ultimately completing it after working on the "Battle of Anghiari" in 1504.

Vasari's eulogy of this portrait may with advantage be quoted: "Whoever shall desire to see how far art can imitate nature may do so to perfection in this head, wherein every peculiarity that could be depicted by the utmost subtlety of the pencil has been faithfully reproduced. The eyes have the lustrous brightness and moisture which is seen in life, and around them are those pale, red, and slightly livid circles, also proper to nature. The nose, with its beautiful and delicately roseate nostrils, might be easily believed to be alive; the mouth, admirable in its outline, has the lips uniting the rose-tints of their colour with those of the face, in the utmost perfection, and the carnation of the cheek does not appear to be painted, but truly flesh and blood. He who looks earnestly at the pit of the throat cannot but believe that he sees the beating of the pulses. Mona Lisa was exceedingly beautiful, and while Leonardo was painting her portrait, he took the precaution of keeping some one constantly near her to sing or play on instruments, or to jest and otherwise amuse her."

Leonardo painted this picture in the full maturity of his talent, and, although it is now little more than a monochrome owing to the free and merciless restoration to which it has been at times subjected, it must have created a wonderful impression on those who saw it in the early years of the sixteenth century. It is difficult for the unpractised eye today to form any idea of its original beauty.

Leonardo has here painted this worldly-minded woman – her portrait is much more famous than she herself ever was – with a marvellous charm and suavity, a finesse of expression never reached before and hardly ever equalled since. Contrast the head of the Christ at Milan, Leonardo's conception of divinity expressed in perfect humanity, with the subtle and sphinx-like smile of this languorous creature.

The landscape background, against which Mona Lisa is posed, recalls the severe, rather than exuberant, landscape and the dim vistas of mountain ranges seen in the neighbourhood of his own birthplace.

The portrait was bought during the reign of Francis I for a sum which is to-day equal to about ₤1800.

Leonardo, by the way, does not seem to have been really affected by any individual affection for any woman, and, like Michelangelo and Raphael, never married.

TASKS:

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following:

to set to work in earnest; to derive one’s name from smth; smb is inaccurate in saying that …; to loiter over smth; to put smth on one side; owing to smth; surname; eulogy of /on/ smth; to be proper to smth; subtlety of the pencil; to faithfully reproduce every peculiarity of nature; to do smth to perfection; to take the precaution of doing smth; in the full muturity of smb’s talent; to subject a painting to restoration; a worldly-minded woman; to be hardly equaled; to be posed against the landscape background; to be equal to (a sum); to be affected by smth; affection for smb; dim vistas of mountain ranges.

II. Match the English adjectives with their Russian equivalents:

1. earnest A. томный

2. inaccurate B. тонкий

3. ultimate C. восхитительный

4. subtle D. синевато-серый / багровый

5. lustrous E. чудесный

6. pale F. честный

7. livid G. окончательный

8. constant H. обильный, цветущий

9. admirable I. неточный

10. marvelous J. постоянный

11. languorous K. бледный

12. exuberant L. блестящий, лучистый

III. Find in the text all the the Past Simple tense forms and give their plain stem and Past Participle forms after the following pattern:

1. The Plain Stem	2. The Past Simple Tense	3. The Past Participle
be	was	been

IV. Fill in the blanks with the given words and word combinations:

in earnest, owing to, to perfection, lustrous, derived, formed any idea, summoned, erection, outline, exceedingly, proper to, precautions, exuberant, vistas, loitering.

1. This new technology is sure to open up new ……. in electronics. 2. The ……. of Italy is suggestive of a boot. 3. If you want to be a success, you’ve got to set to work ……. . 4. … a torrential rain, the painters had to cancel their plein-air session. 5. Holmes asked me if I had …… as to why the bed was clamped to the floor. 6. It was not that Holmes entirely lacked the feelings …… mankind. 7. The invalid appearing to be on his death’s door, his relatives were …… to his bedside. 8. St. Paul’s Cathedral is a truly impressive ……. . 9. It was a lovely Sunday afternoon with scores of idlers ……. about in the park. 10. She seemed unable to feel at ease unless her clothes and make-up were arranged …… 11. There are a great many words both in English and in Russian …… from Latin. 12. This prodigy of a boy proved to be endowed with a most …….. talent. 13. The young man couldn’t help indulging in the ……. life of the high society. 14. One has to take ……. against fire. 15. I am …….. grateful to you for your most obliging assistance.

V. Find in the text synonyms to the following words and word combinations:

1. to linger over one’s work; 2. laudatory words about smth.; 3. to arrive at a conclusion; 4. wonderful; 5. due to; 6. ripeness, 7. delicate; 8. wetness; 9. to combine; 10. courtesy; 11. maybe; 12. to return; 13. to borrow /to trace/ one’s name from …; 11. to picture / to represent; 12. to copy / to reproduce; 13. to wish; 14. to submit smth./smb. to smth else; 15. in the end / at last; 16. to seem; 17. whoever …; 18. to make; 19. ultimate; 20. last / family/ name.

VI. Match the underlined words with their syntactical functions and part of speech identifications:

1. Leonardo was back again in Florence.

2. It is from the surname of her husband that she derives the name of "La Joconde.

3. He may have begun it in the spring of 1501.

4. Owing to having taken service under Cesare Borgia in the following year, Leonardo put the portrait on one side.

5. Vasari's eulogy of this portrait may with advantage be quoted.

6. Art can imitate nature.

7. The nose might be easily believed to be alive.

8. The cheek does not appear to be painted.

9. While Leonardo was painting her portrait, he had his sitter amused.

10. He took the precaution of keeping some one constantly near her.

11. The picture has been at times subjected to the free and merciless restoration.

12. It is difficult for the unpractised eye today to form any idea of its original beauty.

13. Contrast the head of the Christ at Milan with the subtle and sphinx-like smile of this languorous creature.

A. The Subject of the Complex Subject Construction expressed by a Noun and an Infinitive;

B. The Complex Object expressed by a Noun and a Past Participle;

C. A Simple Predicate expressed by a Verb in the Present Perfect Passive Form;

D. The Formal Subject;

E. The Prepositional Object expressed by a Gerund in the Indefinite form;

F. The Notional Subject introduced by a Formal one;

G. The Compound Modal Predicate with a Modal Verb followed by an Indefinite Infinitive;

H. The Compound Modal Predicate with a Modal Verb followed by a Perfect Infinitive;

I. The Compound Modal Predicate with a Modal Verb followed by a Passive Infinitive;

J. The Predicate of the Complex Subject Construction expressed by a Verb in the Negative;

K. The Predicate expressed by a verb in the Imperative Mood;

L. A Simple Predicate expressed by a Phrasal Verb;

M. The Adverbial Modifier of Cause Expressed by a Prepositional Phrase with the Perfect form of the Gerund.

VII. Here are some actual translations by students. Choose the best translations and comment on the mistakes:

1. Leonardo set to work in earnest.

a) Леонардо честно приступил к работе.

b) Леонардо всерьёз приступил к работе.

c) Леонардо приступил к честной работе.

d) Леонардо приступил к работе c честью.

2. Leonardo may have begun the picture in the spring of 1501.

a) Очевидно, Леонардо начал работу над картиной весной 1501-го года.

b) Леонардо разрешили работу над картиной весной 1501-го года.

c) Леонардо может начать работу над картиной весной 1501-го года.

d) Леонардо разрешил работу над картиной весной 1501-го года.

3. The carnation of the cheek does not appear to be painted, but truly flesh and blood.

a) Краски настолько естественно передают телесный цвет щеки, что кажется это не краски вовсе, а настоящая плоть.

b) Красная гвоздика у щеки не видна, поскольку её закрасили – видна лишь плоть и кровь.

c) Щека не выглядит ярко красной, а плоть и кровь выглядит.

d) Алый цвет щеки не является нарисованным, но, если честно, плотью и кровью.

4. Mona Lisa's portrait has the finesse of expression never reached before and hardly ever equalled since.

a) В портрете Моны Лизы присутствует утончённость экспрессии; – до Леонардо художники не могли достичь такого эффекта, впрочем, едва ли и впоследствии.

b) У портрета Моны Лизы имеется изящество выражения, никогда не достижимого до, и с трудом – впоследствии.

c) В портрете Моны Лизы есть тонкая выразительность; – до Леонардо в живописи ничего подобного не было, впрочем, врядли будет и после него.

d) Мона Лизин портрет имеет ловкость изображения не имеющую аналогов в истории.

5. Contrast the head of the Christ at Milan, Leonardo's conception of divinity expressed in perfect humanity, with the subtle and sphinx-like smile of this languorous creature.

a) Контраст головы Крист у Милана, концепция Леонардо божественности выражалась в идеальном гуманитарии, с субтильной и сфинксообразной улыбкой этой вялой твари.

b) Контрастная голова Кристиана Миланского – это Леонардовская концепция богословия выражения в совершенном гуманизме, с тонкой и сфинксовской улыбкой этого усталого творения.

c) Сравни голову Криса с Миланом, понятие Леонардо о божестве экспрессивное в совершённом гуманизме, с изящной и любящей загадочных существ улыбкой этого апатичного создания

d) Сравните образ головы Христа в Милане, в котором Леонардо реализовал своё видение божественного духа в идеальном человеческом облике, с лёгкой и загадочной, как у сфинкса, улыбкой этого томного создания.

VIII. Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Вероятно, Леонардо начал портрет весной 1501-го года. 2. Из-за того, что Леонардо поступил на службу к Чезаре Борджия, он отложил работу над портретом. 3. На заднем плане картины не видно пышной растительности: невыразительный пейзаж скорее напоминает места, где родился Леонардо – суровый край с виднеющимися вдалеке очертаниями горных цепей. 4. Рот восхитителен в своём контуре; розовые оттенки губ идеально гармонируют с цветом лица. 5. Должно быть, картина производила большое впечатление на тех, кто видел её в начале XVI века. 6. Наверное, имеет смысл процитировать восторженный отзыв Вазари об этом портрете. 7. Вазари, видимо, заблуждался, утверждая, что Леонардо не спешил, работая над этим портретом четыре года. 8. Если присмотреться к изображению впадинки горла Моны Лизы, создаётся впечатление, что у неё там бьётся пульс. 9. Нос, с его прекрасными розоватыми ноздрями, выглядит как живой. 10. Cвоё представление о божественном Леонардо воплотил в идеальном человеческом облике. 11. Неспециалисту трудно сейчас представить, насколько прекрасна была эта картина изначально. 12. Именно по фамилии своего мужа, Джокондо, Мона Лиза стала известна как «Джоконда».

IX. Translate the following words and their derivatives. Single out the root and the affixes of the words. Arrange the words after Pattern I to show their derivational relationship. Analyse the combinability and grammatical meaning of the affixes after Pattern II:

Pattern I	Pattern II
accur-ate i n-accur-ate accurate-ness accura-cy inaccurate-ness	root: “accur(a)-“
	root + “-ate” [-ɪt] = adjective
	“in-“ + adjective = negative adjective
	adjective + “-ness” = noun
	root + (a) + “-cy” = noun

|| divine, divinity; humane, humanity, inhumane; perfect, perfection, imperfect; proper, improper, properly; subtle, subtlety; || beauty, beautiful; caution, cautious, cautionary, precaution, precautionary; faith, faithful, faithfully, unfaithful; languor, languorous; lustre, lustrous; marvel, marvelous; mercy, merciless, merciful, mercifulness; neighbour, neighbourhood; wonder, wonderful; || to admire, admirable, admiration, admirer; to affect, affection, affectation, affectionate; to marry, marriage, married, unmarried; to neighbour, neighbouring; to practise, practised, unpracticed; to restore, restorer, restoration, restorative. ||

X. Give detailed answers to the following questions.

1. Why is Mona Lisa’s portrait often refferred to as that of La Joconde? 2. Why did it take Leonardo so long to accomplish the portrait? 3. What according to Vasari can this portrait demonstrate to a viewer? 4. What makes the portrait look so true to life? 5. How did Leonardo manage to achieve the unforgettable smile on Mona Lisa's lips? 6. In which period of his creative work did Leonardo paint this portrait? 7. Has the portrait survived in its pristine order? Why? 8. Judging by the image Leonardo created, what was Mona Lisa like? 9. How can you describe the famous Mona Lisa's smile? 10. What is featured in the background of the painting? 11. Is the charm and beauty of the portrait indicative of Leonardo's being affected by his sitter?

XI. Work in chain. Express your viewpoint on the following statements one after another. Feel free to agree or disagree with the arguments of the previous speaker. Make use of the vocabulary phrases (p. 88).

1. The famous portrait of Mona Lisa is universally known only as that of Gioconda. 2. Leonardo was not particularly enthusiastic about his work upon this portrait. 3. Gioconda may have looked life-like to Leonardo’s contemporaries, but she does not look so to the present viewers. 4. Leonardo had Mona Lisa amused lest she grew bored during the sittings. 5. There is nothing exquisite about Mona Lisa: she is depicted as a worldly-minded woman.

XII. Speak on the following points:

1. The model for Leonardo’s most famous piece of work.

2. The course of Leonardo’s work on the portrait in question.

3. The peculiarities of the portrait in question.

UNIT III

PRE-TASKS:

I. Practice the pronunciation of the following words and word-combinations and learn them.

preference ['pref(ə)rəns] – предпочтение

Pietà [ˌpɪe'tɑ:] – пьета, пиетá, плач Богоматери (картина или скульптура изображающая Богородицу скорбящую над телом Христа) [заимствовано из итальянского, от латинского pietas – сострадание, любовь]

the Virgin [ðə 'vз:dʒɪn] – «(Пресвятая) Дева», Богородица

knee [ni:] – колено

figure ['fɪgə] – фигура

subtle ['sʌtl] – утончённый, изящный, искусный

delicate ['delɪkɪt] – тонкий, едва уловимый

sufficient [sə'fɪʃənt] – достаточный

to commemorate (some event) [kə'meməreɪt] – отмечать, праздновать какое-л. событие; устраивать в память, ознаменовывать

start in ['stɑ:t 'ɪn] – (разг.) начинать, приступать

without a flaw [wɪ'ðaʊt ə 'flɔ:] – безупречно

feature ['fi:t∫ә] – черта (лица); характерная черта

an acre ['eɪkə] – акр

(мера площади в Великобритании и США = 4,046.86 м²)

niche [ni:∫] – ниша

II. Practice the pronunciation of the following (a) toponyms and (b) proper names:

(a) Bologna [bə'ləʊnjə] – г. Болонья

Vatican ['vætɪkən] – (государство-город) Ватикан

Venice ['venɪs] – г. Венеция

(b) Adam ['ædəm] – Адам

David ['deɪvɪd] – Давид

Ghirlandaio [ˌgз:lən'dɑ:jəʊ] – Гирландайо

the Libyan Sybil [ðə 'lɪbɪən 'sɪb(ɪ)l] – Ливийская Сивилла

Magdalene ['mægdəlɪn] – Магдалина

Michelangelo Buonarroti [ˌmaɪkə'læŋʒɪləʊ ˌbwɒnə'rɒtɪ] –

Микеланджело Буонарроти

the Prophet Jeremiah [ðə 'prɒfɪt ˌdʒerɪ'maɪə] – пророк Иеремия

Saint John [sənt 'dʒɒn] – святой Иоанн

Saint Peter [sənt 'pi:tə] – святой Пётр

III. Try to guess the meaning of the italicized words. Match them with the corresponding cognate words in Russian where possible. When translating the words, mind the so-called pseudo-international words.

1. Michelangelo showed a definite preference for sculpture. 2. He visited Venice and Bologna to execute a piece of work. 3. Sculptors had added Saint John and Magdalene to the scene to help support the inert body and prevent it from seeming to crush the frail Madonna. 4. By subtle positioning and by exaggerating slightly the scale of the Virgin he created a compact and isolated monument of extraordinary emotional force. 5. The chin does not cut off too much of the features from the spectator’s view, building out the nose and forehead, placing the eyes on a subtly slanting plane. 6. The sharp turn of the neck animates the profile, the veins and sinews give telling vitality to the surface.

IV. Scan the text and single out the main points of each paragraph.

V. Look through the text and write out all the unfamiliar words and phrases. Look them up in your English-Russian Dictionary. Single out the terms on the fine arts and learn them.

VI. Put the words with ”-(e)s” from the text into appropriate columns. Pronounce the words minding that there are three ways of pronouncing “-(e)s”: [-z], [-s] and [-ɪz] (revise the rule if necessary).

A Noun in the Plural	A Verb in the Present Simple, 3rd Person, Singular

VII. Read and translate the text.