Part 3. "The age of Genius"

Make sure you know these words:

sew, muse, Renaissance, papacy, artificial, abandon, helicopter, perspective

Task 3

Ex.1.  Group the vocabulary below under the right heading. Some words can be put under two headings. Explain their meaning. What words can be referred to art vocabulary?

Nouns	Verbs	Adjectives

Guilt, shadow, sew, scholar, gracious, elegant, humorous, mythology, muse, Renaissance, papacy, artificial, float, torch, antiquity, abandon, influential, magical, solidity, genius, oculus, ceiling, helicopter, submarine, circulation, deserve, gigantic, confused, freedom, generation, merchant, imagination, produce, perspective, astronomy, measure, fascinating.

Ex.2.  Comprehension questions.

1.  What representatives of Renaissance can you name?

2.  What city was possibly the most important in the story of painting?

3.  D escribe the Renaissance attitude to a human being.

4.  How did Masaccio depict Adam and Eve? What was the difference between their representations?

5.  Why is "La Gioconda" so complex for understanding? Do you agree with Sister Wendy on her statement that "Mona Lisa" is the best famous picture of all time?

Ex.3.  Divide into two groups according to your opinion: "Being a genius is a blessing" or "Being a genius is a curse". Put down as more arguments as you can. Then make a dispute.

Ex.4.  Read the idiom below. Give Russian equivalent to it. Make up your own sentences with it.

to kill two birds with one stone

Read the following idioms and try to guess their meaning

a rmed to the teeth

be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth

for a rainy day

in the land of Nod

serve two masters

waste one’s breath

Ex.5.  Match the paintings with the artists.

Raphael Michelangelo Botticelli Giovanni Leonardo da Vinci Masaccio

"Venus and Mars" "The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden" "San Marco Altarpiece" "Deliveration of Saint Peter" "The Crucifixion of St Peter" "La Gioconda"

Ex.6.  Mark the sentences as True (T) or False (F).

1.  The Renaissance humanity is godlike.

2.  The Renaissance period was the world of mythology, Muses, and Graces.

3.  Mantua was a splendid military center.

4.  There was no conflict between science and art during the Renaissance period.

5.  The best famous picture of all time is “The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden”.

6.  Julius II had an eye for talent.

Ex.7.  Look at the famous "Spring" by Botticelli. Describe it paying attention to the following points:

1.  The general effect.

2.  The contents of the painting.

3.  The composition and colouring.

4.  Interpretation (mythology, the artist’s appeal, idea etc.).

Ex.8.  Topics for discussion:

1.  The biblical story about Adam and Eve. Masaccio’s interpretation.

2.  Michelangelo and his famous David.

3.  Giovanni, his biography and masterpieces.

4.  The Genius of Leonardo.

5.  Raphael "Deliveration of Saint Peter". Compare it with the biblical variant.

6.  Describe “Sistine Madonna” by Raphael.