A
The following 4 famous paintings, from Jan van Eyck’s portrait to Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece, have stood the test of time.
The Arnolfini Portrait
Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, an oil painting on wood produced in 1434, is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery, London. This painting is as visually interesting as it is famed. It is also an informative document on fifteenth-century society, through van Eyck’s heavy use of symbolism-while husbands went out to engage in business, wives concerned themselves with domestic duties.
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, a moderately abstract landscape painting of an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, during his 12-month stay at the mental hospital near Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France between 1889 and 1890. When the Museum of Modern Art in New York City purchased the painting from a private collector in 1941, it was not well known, but it has since become one of van Gogh's most famous works.
The Harvesters
The Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565. It depicts the harvest time which most commonly occurred within the months of August and September. Nicolaes Jonghelinck, a merchant banker and art collector from Antwerp, commissioned this painting. The painting has been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City since 1919.
Guernica
Guernica
a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. The title ‘Guernica’ refers to the city that was bombed by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War. The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result, has come to be an anti-war symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war. Today, the painting is housed at the Museo National Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid.
1. What do the four paintings have in common?
A. They are oil paintings. B. They are kept in New York.
C. They show different people’s lives. D. They are created during 10th century to 19th century.
2. What do we know about The Starry Night?
A. It shows the scenery of a small hillside village.
B. Van Gogh produced it when living in his home.
C. A private collector gave it away to the museum.
D. It was not famous before 1941.
3. Whose painting shows the destruction of war?
A. Jan van Eyck. B. Vincent van Gogh. C. Pieter Bruegel. D. Pablo Picasso.
【答案】1. A 2. D 3. D
【解析】
【分析】这是一篇应用文。文章主要介绍了四幅世界上著名的绘画情况。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中“Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, an oil painting on wood produced in 1434, is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery, London.(Jan van Eyck的《阿尔诺菲尼肖像》是一幅1434年的木版油画，无疑是伦敦国家美术馆的杰作之一)”；第三段中“Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, a moderately abstract landscape painting of an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, during his 12-month stay at the mental hospital near Saint-Remy-de-Provence, France between 1889 and 1890. (1889年至1890年间，文森特·梵高在法国普罗旺斯圣雷米附近的精神病院呆了12个月，期间他创作了《星夜》，这是一幅中等抽象的山水画，描绘了山坡上一个小村庄上空富有表现力的夜空)”；第四段中“The Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565. (《收割机》是Pieter Bruegel The Elder于1565年完成的一幅木制油画)”以及第五段中“Guernica, a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. (《格尔尼卡》是西班牙立体派画家巴勃罗·毕加索于1937年创作的一幅大型黑白油画)”可知，四幅画的共同点是它们都是油画。故选A。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段中“When the Museum of Modern Art in New York City purchased the painting from a private collector in 1941, it was not well known, but it has since become one of van Gogh's most famous works.(1941年，当纽约现代艺术博物馆从一位私人收藏家手中买下这幅画时，它并不出名，但后来它成了梵高最著名的作品之一)”可知，《星夜》在1941年之前并不出名。故选D。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。根据最后一段中“Guernica, a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. The title ‘Guernica’ refers to the city that was bombed by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War. The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result, has come to be an anti-war symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war.(《格尔尼卡》是西班牙立体派画家巴勃罗·毕加索于1937年创作的一幅大型黑白油画。 标题“格尔尼卡”指的是在西班牙内战期间被纳粹飞机轰炸的城市。这幅画描绘了战争的恐怖，因此成为反战的象征，并提醒人们战争的悲剧)”可知，巴勃罗·毕加索的画展示了战争的破坏性。故选D。
