cohort, n ['kəuhɔːt] коллектив, группа, компания group , band

Art and the Bronco

Besmeared, adj [bɪ'smɪə] бесчестить, позорить, порочить abuse

2. appropriation, n [ əˌprəuprɪ'eɪʃ(ə)n ] присвоение, ассигнование assignment, allocation, fund, awarding,attribution, funding, assignation

Intrepidity, n [ˌɪntrə'pɪdətɪ] неустрашимость, отвага, смелость, храбрость bravery, fearlessness

4. lukewarm, adj тепловатый, равнодушный, вялый, индифферентный warm, indifferent (to)

5. auspices, n покровительство (например, со стороны государства) protection, patronage

6. calcimined, n ['kælsɪmaɪn] известковый раствор (для побелки) mortar, whitewash

7. coterie, n ['kəut(ə)rɪ] круг лиц, объединённых общими интересами, целями; группировка; кружок circle, study group, hobby group

8. valiant, adj ['vælɪənt] храбрый, отважный, доблестный (о человеке)

brave, courageous, gallant

9. prance, v [ prɑːn(t)s ]становиться на дыбы, поднимать (лошадь) на дыбы caracole

cohort, n ['kəuhɔːt] коллектив, группа, компания group, band

1. a spore of the afflatus спора божественного вдохновения the dispute of divine inspiration

When the narrator says about Lonny Briscoe, about his character how he becomes painting. Where he takes his inspiration.

2. to philander along about smth ворковать на счет чего-либо, болтать попусту to vapour, to waffle

The situation was when the Kinney had known that the master of picture was grandson of Lucien Briscoe. He said that lost the time that didn’t know this information at first.

3. to receive ones meed of praise получить достойную оценку to get a worth of valuation

Jud Shelby, while admitting the excellence of the steer, resolutely
confined himself to open admiration of the landscape, to the end that
the entire picture receive its meed of praise.

4. to cut the mustard сгодиться, отвечать ожиданиям, удовлетворять требованиям, соответствовать, подходить suit, fill the bill

It was when Buck-Kneed Simmers remarked something about the picture, that’s all people became thought. He said that Kinney said a lot about the unkle of painter, instead of his masterpiece.

The painting--one might almost say panorama--was designed to portray a
typical Western scene, interest culminating in a central animal
figure, that of a stampeding steer, life-size, wild-eyed, fiery,
breaking away in a mad rush from the herd that, close-ridden by a
typical cowpuncher, occupied a position somewhat in the right
background of the picture. The landscape presented fitting and
faithful accessories. Chaparral, mesquit, and pear were distributed in
just proportions. A Spanish dagger-plant, with its waxen blossoms in a
creamy aggregation as large as a water-bucket, contributed floral
beauty and variety. The distance was undulating prairie, bisected by
stretches of the intermittent streams peculiar to the region lined
with the rich green of live-oak and water-elm. A richly mottled
rattlesnake lay coiled beneath a pale green clump of prickly pear in
the foreground. A third of the canvas was ultramarine and lake white--
the typical Western sky and the flying clouds, rainless and feathery.

Between two plastered pillars in the commodious hallway near the door
of the chamber of representatives stood the painting. Citizens and
lawmakers passed there by twos and groups and sometimes crowds to gaze
upon it. Many--perhaps a majority of them--had lived the prairie life
and recalled easily the familiar scene. Old cattlemen stood,
reminiscent and candidly pleased, chatting with brothers of former
camps and trails of the days it brought back to mind. Art critics were
few in the town, and there was heard none of that jargon of colour,
perspective, and feeling such as the East loves to use as a curb and a
rod to the pretensions of the artist. 'Twas a great picture, most of
them agreed, admiring the gilt frame--larger than any they had ever
seen.

Senator Kinney was the picture's champion and sponsor. It was he who
so often stepped forward and asserted, with the voice of a bronco-
buster, that it would be a lasting blot, sir, upon the name of this
great state if it should decline to recognize in a proper manner the
genius that had so brilliantly transferred to imperishable canvas a
scene so typical of the great sources of our state's wealth and
prosperity, land--and--er--live-stock.

Полотно это, можно сказать, почти панорама, имело целью запечатлеть обыденную сцену из жизни Дальнего Запада, причем основное внимание художник сосредоточил на фигуре животного в самой середке, а именно — огненно-рыжего быка в натуральную величину, который, дико сверкая глазами, во всю прыть удирал от стада, что паслось кучно, несколько правее и на заднем плане, под надзором типичного для тех мест ковбоя. Все детали пейзажа были точны, достоверны и в должном соотношении: заросли чапарраля, мескит, кактусы. Молочно-белые, величиной с ведро, сооружения из восковых цветов испанского меча демонстрировали красоту и разнообразие местной флоры. Перспектива являла взору волнистые контуры прерий, как бы рассеченных столь характерными для тех краев речушками, окаймленными сочной зеленью виргинского дуба и вяза. На переднем плане под бледно-зеленым ветвистым кактусом свернулась кольцом щедро испещренная крапинками гремучая змея. Добрая треть полотна была ультрамариновой с белыми пятнами — типичное для Запада небо с его летучими облаками, пушистыми, не сулящими дождя.
Картина стояла меж двух лепных колонн, поперек широкого вестибюля, подле дверей в палату представителей. Попарно, группами, а то и целой толпой приходили посмотреть на нее простые граждане и государственные мужи. Многие, пожалуй, большинство, были выходцами из прерий и, взглянув на картину, тотчас узнавали знакомые места. Искренне растроганные престарелые скотоводы, вспоминая былое, переговаривались с прежними товарищами по ковбойским лагерям и дорогам. Профессиональных знатоков живописи в городе насчитывалось мало, а потому и не слышно было вокруг картины таких слов, как «цвет», «перспектива», «чувство» — того жаргона, которым любят пользоваться на Востоке взамен узды и хлыста, дабы осадить художника в его дерзаниях.
«Да, вот это картина!» — почти единогласно высказывались зрители, любуясь позолоченной рамой, — такую огромную они видели впервые.
Крестным отцом и главным восхвалителем картины стал сенатор Кинни. Это его густой ковбойский бас часто рокотал вблизи нее, когда сенатор, выступив вперед, обращался к кому-то из публики, возвещая, что их великий штат надолго запятнает свою честь, сэр, если откажется воздать должное таланту, с таким блеском увековечившему на холсте самые истоки богатства и благоденствия его граждан, иначе говоря — землю и рогатый скот.

Summary

The story is about Lonny Briscoe, a cowboy who is also an aspiring artist. It follows his quest to sell his first painting to the state legislature; to have it hung in the capital building. Lonny sees the sale of the painting as validation of his talent and worth as a painter. We are introduced to senators Kinney and Mullen’s, who only care about getting what they want from each other and getting re-elected. They see Lonny’s painting as a means to both ends. In the beginning, Kinney sees nothing of value in Lonny’s picture. In fact, he implies that it is awful. He says that the painting is secondary to the artist «the grandson of Lucien Briscoe, a legendary local hero who is said to have awarded the state out of the wilderness." The painting quickly fades to the background as both the senators see that pushing the state to give this hero’s grandson money is a quick way to gain public favor. Lonny’s cowboy friend’s ride into town to push the paintings merits as well, adding their admiration for the gilt frame, so big and beautiful. They are very simple and undereducated, as evidenced by Skinny Rogers" act of leaping away from the painting yelling " Thought that rattler was a genuine one," and are not as concerned about the merits of the painting as they are with the idea of one of their own getting money for it. They always speak loudly when they think there might be someone around to whom their comments might be "…profitably addressed." When it becomes clear to Lonny the painting has more value in what the senators stand to gain than for his artistic talent, he seeks out an "expert" who he hopes will give him an honest, unbiased opinion about the worth of the painting. The New York artist is self -absorbed to the extreme; he spitefully tells Lonny that his painting is horrible and that he ought to consider himself extremely lucky to sell it. He advises him to return to his true expertise, cow herding and be happy. In the end Lonny destroys his painting, saying, "I thought I had a picture to sell but it wasn’t one anybody can have the frame that wants it."

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