UNIT 1

Development Tasks. Express Yourself!

“Corn Field”

Task 1. Act as a guide to the picture “Corn Field” by Ivan Shishkin.

NOTE 1: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Flatford Mill on the River Stour”

Task 2. Being a student of an art school you were asked to describe the picture “Flatford Mill on the River Stour” by John Constable in order to get a credit. Talk about the genre and the style of the painter.

NOTE 2: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Portrait of Leo Tolstoi”

TASK 3.  You are eager to work as a guide at art gallery. You have an interview and are asked to describe the portrait of a famous Russian writer by Ivan Kramskoi.

NOTE 3: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“The Execution of the Streltsi”

TASK 4. You participate in the world art conference. Make a brief presentation of your favourite Russian painter, V. Surikov, and describe his masterpiece offering good reasons for your preference.

NOTE 4: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Warriors”

Task 5. Pretend that you work as a guide in a museum. Tell the tourists the most interesting facts about the picture “Warriors” by Vasnetsov.

NOTE 5: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Unexpected Arrival”

TASK 6: While looking through a magazine your friend and you came across a picture “Unexpected Arrival” by Ilya Repin. Your friend asks you to describe the picture as she (he) doesn’t know much about it.

NOTE 6: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Mont St.Victoire”

TASK 7: The art gallery in your city hosts an exhibition of Impressionists, while visiting the gallery, you have admired many Impressionist paintings. Being a great lover of landscape painting, you have been particularly impressed by Cezanne's picture "Mont St. Victoire". Speak on Cezanne's style and share your impressions about the painting with your friend.

NOTE 7: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Large Nude in a Red Armchair”

TASK 9. You have just come back from Paris where you visited the Picasso's Museum. Tell your friend about the picture “Large Nude in a Red Armchair” by Picasso as it impressed you most of all.

NOTE 9: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.

“Partisan's Mother”

TASK 10. You have been to an exhibition of Gerasimov's paintings, give a talk on the impression produced by one of his most famous paintings, Partisan's Mother.

NOTE 10: Make use of the following prompt if you find describing this picture a rather challenging task for yourself. The model description will give an insight into what a professional tour of a picture may look like.