Vocabulary
to mention
to represent
an exhibition
outstanding, famous
an impression
to be annoying, boring
Exercise 1: Read and translate the text:
Art galleries of London
Speaking about art galleries of London we should first of all mention The National Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery and The Tate gallery.
The National Gallery consists of one of the richest collections of paintings in the world. The range of the collection is wide. It represents all the leading schools of European painting from the 13th to early 20th centuries, for example pictures of Rembrandt, Turner, Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and other great masters.
Another gallery is the National Portrait Gallery where there are oil paintings, water colors, drawings and sculptures. The Gallery constantly changes displays and holds the annual portrait competition for young artists.
The Tate Gallery is one of London's best-known art galleries, opened with the financial support of Sir Henry Tate, who also gave a collection of 65 paintings. The Gallery contains a unique collection of British paintings from the 16th century to the present day. It regularly holds special exhibitions.
The most famous museums in Britain are the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum. The Victoria and Albert museum is one of the world's outstanding art museums. It is situated in south central London. The museum was given its present name in honor of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. The British Museum has a priceless collection of antiquities from almost every period and every part of the world. It houses collections of drawings, coins, medals and ethnography.
Exercise 2: Answer the questions:
1. Why do people go to the museums?
2. What types of art works do you know? What can we see at galleries?
3. What collections do the museums have?
4. How often do you go to the museums?
5. What impressions do you have there?
6. Why are these places worth visiting?
Exercise 3: Read the dialogues. Say what is it about.
Dialogue 1
- Have you been at the Tretyakov Gallery?
- No, I haven't. For some years it was closed for capital repairs. It goes without saying, I would like to visit this gallery and I hope to do it in the future.
- What museums have you visited?
- Some years ago I had a chance of visiting the Moscow Museum of Fine Arts. I was greatly impressed by its galleries, especially by the Greek Hall, Egyptian Mummies, and of course by all masterpieces of painting and sculpture.
- What picture galleries or arts museums in other countries do you know?
- Well, first of all, it is the national Gallery in London. The Building itself was built in 1838. It housed the collection of Old Masters Paintings (38 paintings). This Collection was given to the nation by an English private collector, Sir George Beamount.
- And what collection does it house at the present time?
- Today the National Gallery exhibits works of all the European schools of painting of the 13th - 19th centuries. There you can see the most famous works, such as pictures by Velasguez, Rembrandt, Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough and others
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Dialogue 2
Tracy: Why are you nervous and sad, Jack?
Jack: Ah! Never mind. Just a slight headache.
Tracy: You have always problem with your health when I want to go to the museum! Take it easy Jack, relax.
Jack: If I could I would. It's annoying when you can't have fun from something, isn't it?
Tracy: Fun? Museums are the educational establishments for enriching our knowledge. You are not expected to have fun with it like dog shows or flower exhibitions.
Jack: What a bore!
Tracy: A picture gallery is no less enjoyable than a dog show. Stick to me, Jack, and you'll find it interesting, I promise you.
Jack: Do you? We shall see.
Guide: We are in the hall of colonial portraits of the National Portrait Gallery. The Permanent Collection of the Museum represents portraits of heroes, thinkers and doers, conservatives and radicals. Most of them are taken from life-sittings. You will see George Washington, Abraham Lincoln
Tracy: Heavens, what sparkling eyes that lady on the colonial portrait has! Her face is gentle, she looks as if she was alive. And the texture of her dress! It looks so soft and silky as if you could feel it with your hand.
Jack: Oh, come on! Do you like realist portraits?
Tracy: What I really like about the 19th century it is the fact that ladies have their fashions. Seriously, I like pictures that are true to life, where every leaf and flower is depicted exactly.
Jack: Like in still life? Look, here is one by Raphaelle Peale. Flowers in a vase, watermelons, grapes and cherries. Doesn't it look nice?
Tracy: Oh, you like something here? It is great! As for me, I like nature depicted. I like romanticism. Look at the "Cliffs of the Upper Colorado River" by Thomas Moran. It is fantastically magnificent described! What a cloudy sky!!!!
Jack: My God, go home, please. It is so boring!!!
Tracy: Stop to behave like a child!
Jack: Are you crying???
Tracy: Why are you being so unbearable, Jack?
