The Renaissance

Apart from the illuminated manuscripts produced by monks during the Middle Ages, the next significant contribution to European art was from Italy's renaissance painters. From Giotto in the 13th century to Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael at the beginning of the 16th century, this was the richest period in Italian art as the chiaroscuro technique was used to create the illusion of 3-D space. Painters in northern Europe too were influenced by the Italian school. Jan van Eyck from Belgium, Pieter Bruegel the Elder from the Netherlands and Hans Holbein the Younger from Germany are among the most successful painters of the times. They used the glazing technique with oils to achieve depth and luminosity.

The 17th century saw the emergence of the great Dutch masters such as the versatile Rembrandt who is especially remembered for his portraits and Bible scenes, and Vermeer who specialized in interior scenes of Dutch life.

After text activity

1. Reading Exercises:

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

Vernacular art, crayons, charcoals, hatching, crosshatching, scribbling; stippling, blending; excel; draughtsman; canvas; Byzantine art; illuminated manuscripts; monks; the chiaroscuro technique; the glazing technique; emergence;

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1) What does the term "visual arts" include?

2) What are the main techniques used in drawing?

3) Where can paintings of human figures be found in?

4) What is painting ?

Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:

1. The visual arts are art forms that	a) using any of a wide variety of tools and techniques.
2. Art schools made a distinction between	b) in caves and on rock faces.
3. Drawing is a means of making an image,	c) the fine arts and the crafts maintaining.
4 Like drawing, painting has its origins	d) create works which are primarily visual in nature.

Exercise 4. Open brackets choosing the right words:

Drawing( goes back/ returns) at least 16,000 years to Paleolithic( cave/ grotto) representations of animals such as those at Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain. In ancient Egypt, ink drawings on papyrus, often depicting people, were used as( models/ standards) for painting or sculpture. Drawings on Greek vases,( initially/ originally) geometric, later developed to the human form with black-figure pottery during the 7th century BC.

II. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Describe the visual arts; ceramics; drawing; painting, sculpture, design, video using the suggested words and expressions as in example:

The visual arts;

Such as painting, photography, or sculpture, that appeals primarily to the visual sense and typically exists in permanent form; art work,

example:

Art work, such as painting, photography, or sculpture, that appeals primarily to the visual sense and typically exists in permanent form.

Ceramics:

The art or technology; of making objects of clay; and similar materials; treated by firing.

Drawing:

A sketch, plan, or design; especially one; made with pen, pencil, or crayon.

Painting:

The art or process ; of applying paints; to a surface ;such as canvas; to make a picture or other artistic composition.

Sculpture:

The art of making figures; or designs; in relief or the round; by carving wood ; moulding plaster etc., or casting metals, etc.

Design:

A plan; sketch; or preliminary drawing.

Video:

Video is the technology; of electronically capturing; recording; processing; storing; transmitting; and reconstructing a sequence of still images; representing scenes in motion.

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1) Question: ___________________________________________ ?

Answer: Drawing was adopted by masters such as Sandro Botticelli, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.

2) Question:

Answer: Paintings of human figures can be found in the tombs of ancient Egypt.

3) Question: ___________________________________________ ?

Answer: Painters in northern Europe too were influenced by the Italian school.