Art in ancient Greece and Rome

Unit 1

The history of arts

Text A

I Listen and remember the following words

1. to compare – порівняти

2. landscape – пейзаж

3. to survive – виживати

4. to inspire – надихати

5. to accomplish – виконувати

6. exuberance – пишність

7. abundant – багатий, рясний

8. to supplant – витісняти

9. to exaggerate – перебільшувати

10. furniture – меблі

II Read and remember the following phrases

enormous influence – величезний вплив

to become aware – ставати обізнаним

desire to return – бажання повернути

to take root – сягати корінням

sense of awe – відчуття благоговіння

III Read and translate the following text:

The history of arts. Brief overview

Part I

Art in ancient Greece and Rome

The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times until the present, particularly in the areas of sculpture and architecture. In the West, the art of the Roman Empire was largely derived from Greek models.

It is necessary to differentiate between the Hellenistic tradition and the Roman tradition. Roman painting provides a wide variety of themes: animals, still life, and scenes from everyday life. During the Hellenistic period, it evoked the pleasures of the countryside and represented scenes of shepherds, herds, rustic temples, rural mountainous landscapes and country houses.

The main innovation of Roman painting compared to Greek art was the development of landscapes, in particular the techniques of perspective.
While inspired by the Greeks, Romans also developed some of their own innovations, such as the bust and the democratization of the portrait.

Gothic is the term generally used to denote the style of architecture, sculpture, and painting that developed from the Romanesque during the 12th century and became predominant in Europe by the middle of the 13th century. Gothic Art took the form of a softer, more realistic style whose general characteristics survived until the middle of the 13th century. Although details such as faces and hands continued to be described chiefly by means of line, drapery and other shapes were modelled in terms of light and shade.

Literally the term 'Renaissance' means rebirth. In art-history the Renaissance reflects the period in which human became conscious again of their power to influence their own lives. It is the period of light and new beginnings, in contrast to the dark Middle-Ages. For the first time since the end of the Classic Period human became aware of the beginning of a new era. They got inspired by the ideas and principals of the Classical Period; The Greek and Roman Cultures, because they saw these cultures as the best human had ever accomplished. People started to explore and analyze everything scientifically, like nature, philosophy, politics and art. The Renaissance painters were the first artists who used geometric structured perspective in their work to create the effect of space.
In the arts, Baroque is a period as well as the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music. The style started around 1600 in Rome, Italy and spread to most of Europe.

Some traits and aspects of Baroque paintings that differentiate this style from others are the abundant amount of details, often bright polychromy, less realistic faces of subjects, and an overall sense of awe, which was one of the goals in Baroque art.

The Rococo style of art was largely supplanted by the Neoclassic style. Primarily, Rococo was a style of art found in French interior design around 1700. Rooms were designed as works of art with elegant furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture and wall paintings.

IV Answer the questions:

1. What has an enormous influence on the culture of many countries?

2. What themes did Roman painting provide?

3. What innovations did the Roman develop?

4. What style became predominant in Europe by the middle of the 13th century?

5. What does the term 'Renaissance' mean?

6. What did the Renaissance painters use to create the effect of space?

7. What are some traits and aspects of Baroque paintings that differentiate this style from others?

8. How did the rooms designed in Rococo style look like?

9. What supplanted the Rococo style?

V Complete the sentences with the words from the text:

1. The development of landscapes was the main … of Roman painting.

2. Drapery and other shapes were modelled in terms of light and shade in … Art.

3. The Renaissance painters were the first artists who used … perspective in their work to create the effect of space.

4. The Baroque paintings were characterised by the … amount of details, often bright polychromy.

5. Rococo was a style of art found in … design around 1700.

VI Find the English equivalents to the words:

рясний, пишність, гобелен, забезпечувати, почуття благоговіння, сільські пейзажі, перебільшувати, надихати, свідомість, різноманітність

VII Make up sentences with the terms:

enormous influence, variety of themes, drapery, conscious, inspired, abundant amount, to supplant

VIII Give definitions to the words:

to differentiate, to provide, to accomplish, enormous, trait, scientifically, to create

IX Translate the sentences into English:

1. У мистецтві Давньої Греції були представлені гірські пейзажі та сільські будівлі.

2. Головним нововведенням у Римському живописі була розробка техніки перспективи.

3. В галузі архітектури мистецтво Давньої Греції і сьогодні впливає на культуру багатьох країн.

4. У готичному мистецтві такі деталі як руки та обличчя зображувались суто за допомогою ліній.

5. Ренесанс – це період, коли люди почали вивчати світ з наукової точки зору.

6. Художники епохи Ренесансу використовували принципи та ідеї Класичного періоду.

7. Однією з головних цілей мистецтва Бароко було досягнення почуття благоговіння.

8. Стиль Рококо в інтер’єрі характеризувався елегантними меблями, скульптурами та гобеленами.

X Speak on the topic using the following words and word-combinations:

enormous influence, scenes of shepherds, rural landscapes, techniques of perspective, in terms of light and shade, conscious, accomplish, scientifically, exaggerate, exuberance, abundant, sense of awe, tapestry

Text B

I Read and remember:

1. to encompass – охоплювати

2. objective survey – предметне дослідження

3. distinguishing features – відмінні риси

4. precedent – попередник

5. gradually – поступово

6. onset – натиск, напад

7. artifact – художній виріб

8. monastic – монастирський

9. obscurity – темрява, морок

10. sentiment – почуття, думка

11. quite the contrary – зовсім навпаки

12. subtle shift – непомітне зрушення

13. secular – світський

II Read the text and define the main idea of it:

Text B

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