Russian Art of the Second Half of the 19th Century
Открытый урок-экскурсия (10-й лингвистический класс)
Цели: совершенствовать навыки монологической речи; учить свободно переносить полученные знания в новые ситуации общения в соответствии с определенной коммуникативной целью; учить описывать картины художников; формировать навыки правильного реагирования в речевой ситуации; развивать умение выразить и доказать свою точку зрения.
Образовательные задачи: познакомить учащихся с наиболее выдающимися произведениями русской живописи второй половины XIX в.
Воспитательные задачи: формировать эстетические вкусы учащихся; воспитывать умение внимательно слушать собеседника и вести беседу.
Технические средства обучения: компьютер; лексические таблицы; иллюстрации картин:
“Рожь”, И.И. Шишкин (рис. 1)
“Алёнушка”, В.М. Васнецов (рис. 2)
“Не ждали”, И.Е. Репин (рис. З)
“Боярыня Морозова”, В.И. Суриков (рис. 4)
“Осенний день в Сокольниках”, И.И. Левитан (рис. 5)
ХОД УРОКА
I. Оргмомент
Teacher: Dear friends! I’m glad to see you. You are all fine, aren’t you? (P1, P2, etc.)
At the previous lessons we talked about classical painting and abstract art. So you know the world of art is wide and beautiful. You also know that when artists create their works they follow different tendencies, art movements and styles.
Today I’m glad to tell you that we have a good opportunity to learn more about art. I’d like to invite you to an art exhibition. Now we’ll have to decide where to go and what to see. Let’s choose: classical or abstract art?
Рupil 1: As for me I’m for the classics.
I think classical art is real. It deals with real life. And a real artist, to my mind, is one that welcomes the sunrise as a wonderful symbol of man’s finest hopes.
Рupil 2: I can’t say that I understand some modern trends in art very well, for example, abstractionism, but I’d like to learn more about it. I think it gives great impetus to scientific thought.
Рupil 3: It’s not easy for me to select a certain art style or genre, but if you ask me, I’d choose a classical manner of painting. I absolutely agree that it has close contact with the real life of people and that gives great power to an artist’s work.
Рupil 4: I think that abstract art, with its geometric elements, rectangles and squares reveals the dynamism of modern life. And it has many other expressive forms that make me think, involve my fantasy, and help me to develop my imagination.
Рupil 5: You see, not long ago I visited a exhibition of Russian painting. I enjoyed it greatly. It was a real holiday for me. It’s obvious that the paintings of old Russian masters are among the greatest treasures in the history of civilization.
Рupil 6: In my opinion, abstract painting lacks one of the main characteristics of art: it’s difficult to perceive and it doesn’t convey the passion of a human heart. It breaks up the artistic image and form of the world around us and doesn’t reflect daily life.
Рupil 7: As far as I’m able to judge, old thinking prevails. I believe that the abstract manner of painting is a perfect way for artists to explore and express their new ideas.
Рupil 8: In my view, old Russian paintings reflect the collective experience of spiritual life over many centuries. I think that such great painters as Repin and Levitan make us see and think a great deal more than different objects in some pictures. Their masterpieces are a great source of beauty, aren’t they?
Рupil 9: But new times call for new songs. Modern man is naturally interested in the art forms reflecting his own time and his own experience. As for me I’m for abstractionism.
Рupil 10: Well, I must say that I’m for classical art. It appeals to my feelings, first of all. It portrays a truthful relationship between art and life.
Teacher: So tastes differ. But as far as I see, most of you are for classical art, aren’t you? Now let’s have a look at the information we have about classical art exhibitions. (The students are looking for exhibitions in the computer.)
1. Guided tours. The Collection of Modern Art.
Opening time: 11.30 a.m., 14.30 p.m. Monday, Friday.
The Hermitage
2. Guided tours. The Collection of Russian painting (19th century)
10.30 a.m., 15.00 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday
The State Tretyakov Gallery
3. English Painting 18th с.
11.00 a.m., 14.00 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday
The State Russian Museum
4. Russian Avantgarde. Private Collection.
12.00 noon., 13.00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday
The State Tretyakov Gallery
Teacher: Well, what will your choice be?
Рupil 5: The State Tretyakov Gallery! Russian painting!
II. So you are welcome to the State Tretyakov Gallery!
Teacher: I’d like to begin our talk about painting with the association of Mobile Art Exhibition or “Peredvizhniki”. I think you have heard much of it and know something about this society of artists, don’t you?
Рupil 1: As far as I know this association united almost all the greatest Russian realistic artists of the second half of the 19th century.
Teacher: Who were they?
Рupil 1: Its members were such prominent Russian artists as Kramskoy, Surikov, Polenov...
Рupil 2: Shishkin, Vasnetsov, Bryullov and many others.
Teacher: You are quite right. Their primary task was to promote the civic and aesthetic education of realistic art. It raised the most important questions of the time. The “Peredvizhniki” group reformed all the genres of painting in Russia.
I must say genre painting and landscape painting occupied the most prominent place in their work.
Can you tell me one of the names of the most outstanding landscape painters and one of the founders of the association?
Рupil 3: I believe one of them was Ivan Shishkin. He saw the beauty of Russian nature in a way close to common people’s understanding of it.
1. Teacher: I’m sure that you know many of his pictures, but I’d like to draw your attention to his canvas “Rye” (рис. 1). It’s one of his best works. The painter remained faithful to reality and accurately depicted the details of the landscape.
 I.I. Shishkin "Rye" |
Teacher: What are they?
Рupil 4: The flowers, trees and grain.
Рupil 5: The combination of various subjects – of the field and the forest. He created an epic image of the abundance of Russian nature.
Teacher: There is rarely a place for man in epic landscapes. In this painting, you see, the travelers are walking along the road.
Рupil 6: Oh yes, they are barely visible in the ripe rye, which is in fact taller than it would be in reality.
Рupil 7: The powerful pines with dark green branches, the blue sky and the gold of the rye create a majestic portrait of Russian nature.
Teacher: You will agree with me if I say that Shishkin depicts the beauty and power of nature with tremendous skill.
My friends, I’m sure that you know this canvas quite well. Moreover you have been familiar with it since childhood. What is it? Who is the artist of this picture? (Рис. 2)
 V.M. Vasnetsov "Alyonushka" |
2. Рupil 8: “Alyonushka” by Vasnetsov.
Teacher: Have a look at it and say what creates the mood of this picture (you can use your support lists).
Рupil 9: First of all, the way the artist shows the countryside. The bright foliage of the trees on the banks of the dark pond and the somber lighting emphasize the feeling of anxiety.
Рupil 10: The girl is sitting on the bank of a dark pool, her head bent on her arms. A fir forest, like a strong wall, is behind her back. She is looking thoughtfully and sadly into the dark depth. Her clothes are shabby and poor. This is the image of a peasant girl which is real.
Рupil 1: The vitality of the picture is combined with poetical symbols, such as the thin branch bent like an arch with chirping swallows above Alyonushka’s head.
Рupil 2: The dark forest, pool and loose hair mean unhappiness, danger and bad thoughts in superstition, but a birch, growing near the water, means healing and a swallow brings good news. So I believe in good ending.
3.Teacher: This picture is one of the most touching and poetical, isn’t it?
Now I want you to guess the artist we are going to speak about now. We had a talk about him at the previous lessons.
He is one of the best-known painters of the second half of the nineteenth century.
His collection consists of portraits and historical genre paintings. In his work he reflected anxiety, thoughts and hopes of the democratic society of that time. The whole epoch in art belongs to him. All his canvases are filled with dramatic exuberance and convey the atmosphere of Russian after the reform. Who is this artist?
Рupil 3: I believe it’s Ilya Repin.
Teacher: Yes, and this is his picture “Unexpected Return” (рис. 3).
Olya, I know, you’ve just finished art school. I hope you know much about this artist and his pictures. Am I right?
 I.E. Repin "Unexpected Return" |
Рupil 2: No doubt, Repin’s sympathy for the revolutionary movement found expression in this picture. At first glance it seems to be a genre scene. We see the home-coming and long-suffering (but not broken) revolutionary. The hero of the picture, unshaven, gaunt, with a mute question in his feverishly glinting eyes, has been away for a long time. His daughter has grown up and had time to forget him. The returning exile in the worn peasant overcoat is singled out by two streams of light – from the window and from the open door.
As far as I can see, he is convinced that his views are right and he is not going to change them. But what about his relatives’ attitude? Is he a source of suffering or pride? The reply to this mute question can be seen in the figure of his mother who rises to meet him. It conveys the unexpected joy which she can hardly believe, and, above all, pride, I think. Yet there is still a touch of the sorrows of the past.
Teacher: Thank you very much, Olya. You’ve given us a rather full description of this picture.
I can only add that the picture is painted in a soft, amazingly authentic manner, the air and sunlight filling the room are masterly conveyed.
III. Практическая работа
Teacher: Now my friends, it’s time for you to describe some pictures on your own. I want you to do some practical task. Let’s divide into 2 groups.
The task is to guess the artists of these pictures, say a few words about them and describe the pictures. Use your support lists.
Учащиеся делятся на две группы и, используя лексические таблицы, отвечают на поставленные вопросы.
Одна группа учащихся работает с картиной Сурикова “Боярыня Морозова” (рис. 4).
 V.I. Surikov "Boyarynia Morozova" |
Вторая – с картиной Левитана “Осенний день в Сокольниках” (рис. 5).
 I.I. Levitan "Autumn Day in Sokolniki" |
IV. Заключение
Teacher: My friends, to sum it all up, I’d like to say that the role of art is great. Someone prefers the classical manner of painting, and some of you like modern art. Tastes differ. But you’ll agree with me that art enriches our souls, appeals to our hearts, minds and feelings. It reflects the spirit of every nation, its life – the past, present and future.
Lexical Table 1
ARE FINE ARTS POPULAR TODAY?
| Fine arts attract people because... | original
sensible fine technique individual approach dreams and aspirations |
| Works of art reveal… | an artist’s personality
interpretation of the reality various moods of... personification |
| A present-day vision of themes, works, authors … | differs from...
depicts man’s... is based on... is adequate to... contradicts recalls smb’s... |
| The works appeal to... | hearts and minds
people’s imagination contemporary burning problems of.. |
| It’s not easy to select | genre of...
individual an approach to. analogies for |
In spite of...
It’s common knowledge...
According to...
Generally speaking...
Lexical Table 2
| I would like to attract
your attention to this … | landscape
canvas painting still life water-colour self-potrait fresco |
| Unknown
Famous World-famous | Russian | artist
painter |
| Belonging to the… | realistic
classical romantic modern | school of
trend of | painting |
| We can see… | in the foreground
in the center of the foreground of the foreground in the middle of the picture at the bottom/top in the distance in the far distance |
| The picture is painted... | mostly in | bright
light dark warm cold | colours
tones |
| The picture
vividly potrays… | the beauty of the flowers
a stormy sea a forest in autumn |
| The artist… | paints
draws depicts potrays represents | the details of the scenery
the movement of water the household articles | with tremendous skill
with great impression with great feeling |
| The picture conveys
the idea of... | beautiful scenery
feminine beauty mother’s love | perfectly
absolutely completely only to a certain extent |
Support Lists
I. “Алёнушка”
foliage of the trees – листва
somber – тёмный, мрачный
shabby – поношенный, ветхий
chirping swallows – щебечущие ласточки
a birch – береза
healing – лечение
to be combined with
poetical symbols
II. Tastes Differ
Positive Impressions:
I am favourably impressed by the picture
It is realistic and true to life
It is thought-provoking art
It is an honest presentation of...
There is convincing truth in this painting
This is what I should call true realism
Isn’t it superb!
It is quite a find, isn’t it?
Oh! But look at this portrait. It is a work of genius
The effect of the light is striking
It is magnificent (lovely, amazing)
I am absolutely thrilled
It is an impressive piece of art
It is too divine for words
It conveys its meaning absolutely
Negative Impressions:
The drawing is full of faults
The perspective lacks depth
Light is not rendered at all
It isn’t a picture, it is a mere spattering of colours
The painting is a blur. We can hardly make out anything
I shouldn’t call it a painting at all
It offends the eye
It is too bad for words
It is completely meaningless
I was shocked by...
It is a shame
No good at all!
It is unbelievable trash
It is beneath all criticism
It is ridiculous, disgusting
III. “Боярыня Морозова”
to be in a sledge
to face a spectator
her face and her gesture suggest...
to burn with fanatic passion
crowds of onlookers
to sympathize deeply
the marks that the sledge is leaving behind
a lad running abreast (рядом) the sledge
to strike
to render the atmosphere of... skillfully
IV. “Осенний день в Сокольниках”
to be tinged with... – окрашены
to be overcast
to be misty, damp
to start drizzling
the rest of the scene
there is a suggestion of...
the composition of the picture...
to be full of lyricism