Lesson-discussion "Art is long, life is short"

      The tenth form

Lesson-discussion

Art is long, life is short

    Objectives:

    • to educate confidence in priority of the peoples’ values, to develop critical thinking, to form the need of search the truth, to educate aesthetic tastes.

    Equipment: the pupils’ creative works, wall news-papers about the artists, the portraits of the artists, paintings.

Procedure

I. Greeting.

Teacher: Read the quotations and comment on them:      “A picture is a poem without words,

All art is but imitation of nature”.

Seneca

Teacher: I’m sure that the proverb “Art is long and life is short” is known to everybody. Express your opinion on the statement.

Teacher: You may see different works of fine arts at the museums and picture galleries. What does painting mean to you? What are your tastes in painting?

Teacher: Look at the masterpieces and speak about the genres of these paintings.

Teacher: What English landscape painters do you know? Look at these masterpieces and say what they have in common?

Pupil 1. These masterpieces belong to John Constable. The first masterpiece is “The Haywain” and the second one is “Dedham Church in Vale”. John Constable (1776-1837) was fond of the place where he was born and spent his childhood. He saw very beautiful forests green nature and being very talented he painted paintings. He is said to be the best landscape painter in England.

Pupil 2. Thomas Gainsborough’s masterpieces. He also painted landscapes. In most cases a man and nature are fused into a single whole through the harmony of mood in his paintings.

Teacher: Ukraine has always been the land of art. Beautiful nature of the country , poetic folk songs , love for the country and kindness of the people encouraged Ukrainian painters to devote their work to these items. What Ukrainian landscape painters do you know? Look at the pictures of the Ukrainian painters and say why we can say they are typical Ukrainian in its style?

Pupil 1. Kashai is a famous Ukrainian painter. His art is full of love for a man’s belief in him, readiness to serve people. He created marvelous canvases. Kashai is known as a master of landscape painting. His paintings impress us greatly.

Teacher: Look at the painting “Spring in the Carpathians” and you’ll enjoy a wonderful view of the forest. He has painted such paintings as “First Show”, “Late Autumn”. They show how beautiful Ukraine is and how wonderful the people of this land are.

Pupil 4. Andrii Kotska was born in Uzhhorod. He entirely gave himself to the beauty of nature. His landscapes “Spring Morning”, “Early Spring” are too lovely. We can’t help admiring these masterpieces. Kotshka was a modest man, but we can’t say it about his art. It’s original and rich.

Pupil. Shyshko, a famous Ukrainian painter, was born on the 25^th of January in 1911. He is the author of wonderful landscapes dedicated to Kyiv. They are real masterpieces. The pictures “Volodymyr’s Hill”, “The Dnipro in autumn” reflect the beauty of Kyiv.

Pupil. Mykola Pymonenko was born in Kyiv on March, 9, 1862. Pymonenko produced more than 700 genre scenes landscape portraits, devoted to the life of Ukrainian people. His paintings are exhibited in many Ukrainian Art galleries and museums.

Among the best known are “Wedding party in Kyiv Province”, “Fair”.

Teacher: How do the landscapes of Gainsborough differ from Pymonenko’s

Use phrases:

Both artists…

None of them…

In contrast with.

Teacher: Many painters are called satiric. Do you know any of them? It there a satiric painter in Ukraine?

Pupil. William Hogarth is one of the greatest English painters. He reflected social life in his paintings. The beauty of his painting was accompanied by satire. His best works are: “Marriage a Mode”, “The Election Entertainment”, “The Graham Children”.

Teacher: Vasilkivsky is also a famous satiric Ukrainian painter. Do these two satirics have much in common. Do you agree with Hogarth’s statement: “I know of no such thing as genius. It is nothing but labour and diligence”. 

Teacher: What characteristics can you apply to portraits. Look at the portraits and decide.

Teacher: Ukraine is also rich in portraits, but say why we can’t say that Ukrainian portrait painters Gainsborough, Reynold are typical in style?

Pupil. Katerina Bilokur was an Ukrainian artist. She has been gifted in painting since her childhood. Her great works are “Peonies”, ”Still life with bread”, “Breakfast”, “Flowers and walnuts” and others.

Teacher: There are two world-famous sea scripts Turner and the other person, who was born in Pheodociya and was called “Ukrainian Turner” what is his name?

Pupil. Exactly. It is Aivazovsky. Look at the seascapes of two great seascapists and say whether they have the same feeling describing the sea? 

Teacher: Complete the charts.

… is well – known as a portraits

… is well – known as a landscape painter

… is well – known as a water-colour master

… painted the portraits of the most famous people

Work in pairs

Discuss the following situations

1. Your friend and you are in the art gallery. You are looking at one of the Turner’s painting “Shipwreck”, “Light and colour”. Arrange a conversation about Turner and his painting.

2. Discuss on the topic “Life is short, art is long”.

3. You and your friend are talking about outstanding Ukrainian painters and their artistic activity. Discuss what they have in common, what is different in their work.

Summarising

Teacher: Today we’ve talked about great Ukrainian and British painters. We especially honour Ukrainian painters, who were brilliant representatives of Ukrainian art.