Content Focus. Task 1. It is very important for the teacher to present some information about the pictures, if students do not know anything about some paintings

Task 1. It is very important for the teacher to present some information about the pictures, if students do not know anything about some paintings. Although these are rather famous works of art, students may not know their exact names or when they were painted. So, the teacher’s task is to give this information to the students. These are the main facts about the artworks:

A) Black Square, Kazimir Malevich, 1915

In 1915, Malevich laid down the foundations of Suprematism when he published his manifesto From Cubism to Suprematism. Famous examples of his Suprematist works include Black Square (1915) and White on White (1918).

B) Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear, Vincent van Gogh, January 1889

Van Gogh created many self-portraits during his lifetime. He was a prolific self-portraitist, who painted himself 37 times between 1886 and 1889.

C) The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali, 1931.

In 1931, Dalí painted one of his most famous works, The Persistence of Memory, which introduced a surrealistic image of soft, melting pocket watches. The general interpretation of the work is that the soft watches are a rejection of the assumption that time is rigid or deterministic. This idea is supported by other images in the work, such as the wide expanding landscape, and the other limp watches, shown being devoured by ants.

D) The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1490s

Leonardo's most famous painting of the 1490s is The Last Supper. The painting represents the last meal shared by Jesus with his disciples before his capture and death. It shows specifically the moment when Jesus has just said "one of you will betray me". Leonardo tells the story of the consternation that this statement caused to the twelve followers of Jesus. Other famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci are Mona Lisa or "la Gioconda", The Virgin and Child with St. Anne, Madonna Litta.

E) Brig "Mercury" Attacked by Two Turkish Ships, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1892.

Aivazovsky is best known for his seascapes and coastal scenes.

 

Task 2. Suggested answers:

· challenge – something that tests strength, skill, or ability, especially in a way that is interesting;

· emerge – to appear or come out from somewhere;

· reflection – an image that you can see in a mirror, glass, or water;

· appreciation – pleasure you feel when you realize something is good, useful, or well done;

· require – to need something;

· exquisite – very sensitive and delicate in the way you behave or do things.