English for Arts (Vo Tu Phuong)

English for Arts

GVBS: V T Phng - Hong Minh Tun 2

LI NI U

Quyn sch ny c thc hin nhm mc ch cung cp kin thc v m

thut v kin thc ting Anh v chuyn ngnh ny cho cc sinh vin chuyn ngnh.

Quyn sch ny c bit c thit k cho sinh vin t nm th hai ca ngnh ny.

y l quyn sch rt hu ch cho nhng ai ang hc tp v lm vic trong ngnh

hi ha ni ring v ngnh m thut ni chung. C th l quyn sch cung cp cc

ch t vng, cc cu trc ng php ting Anh cng nh nhng kin chuyn

ngnh M thut. Cng vi s gip ca gio vin, sinh vin khng ch hc c t

vng ting Anh, cu trc ng php ting Anh lin quan n chuyn ngnh ny m

cn c c hi luyn tp cc k nng ngn ng nh nghe, ni, c, vit lin quan n

cc ch m thut nh: mu sc, cc ha s ni ting trong v ngoi nc, cc loi

tranh truyn thng, tranh dn gian, cc trng phi m thut.

Quyn sch ny cung cp cc bi c t rt nhiu ngun, c bin tp li v

thit k theo mt mu chung cho cc bi (unit) bao gm cc cu hi trc khi c

bi, phn bi c ( c bin son li), phn t vng, cc cu hi kim tra s

hiu bi, cc cu hi tho lun, v c rt nhiu dng bi tp luyn tp v cc kha

cnh ngn ng nh t vng ng php, v cc k nng nghe, ni, c, vit c lin

quan n ch M thut v phn c thm m rng kin thc chuyn ngnh

cng nh cung cp t vng v cu trc ting Anh cho chuyn ngnh ny.

Quyn sch ny c thit k cho 60 gi lm vic lp. Ngha l khong

5 n 10 gi cho mi bi v 5 gi n tp v kim tra. Tuy nhin s gi lm vic

thc t s thay i ty theo trnh ting Anh ca ngi hc, ty theo kin thc

chuyn ngnh h sn c, ty theo s lng bi tp c phn cng v nh lm, v

ty theo s p dng ca gio vin trong tng hon cnh.

Ngi hc s c nh gi nh k theo s sp xp ca gio vin. Cc bi

kim tra nh k c th l bi thi ni hoc bi thi vit.

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Quyn sch Gio trnh ting Anh chuyn ngnh M Thut khng th

ra i nu khng c s khuyn khch ca lnh o Trng Cao ng Vn ha Ngh

thut v Du lch Nha Trang, khoa Du lch v khoa Ngoi ng.

Chng ti xin gi li cm n su sc n thy Hong Minh Tm, hiu trng

nh trng, c Phm Th Huyn, hiu ph, c Nguyn Th Thanh Hng, hiu ph, v

thy L Hunh, Trng khoa M Thut v s ng vin qu bu.

Bn thn chng ti cng khng c thi gian v kh nng hon thnh quyn

sch ny nu khng nhn c s ng h ca c Trn Th i Hoa, Trng khoa

Ngoi Ng v c bit s ng gp kin ca cc ging vin Ngnh M Thut v

cc ging vin ting Anh i Cng.

Chng ti xin by t s bit n i vi cc ging vin ngnh M thut l thy

Thi Vn Thanh, c v gp v vn chuyn ngnh M thut cho chng ti.

Chng ti rt cm n s gip v cng qu bu ca cc ng nghip trong khoa

ngoi ng: c Trn Th Bch thy, c o Mng Uyn chn thnh gp cho vic

hon chnh gio trnh ny.

Chng ti cng xin gi li cm n n thy Trng nh c h tr v

vn k thut ti hon thnh quyn sch ny.

Mt ln na chng ti rt mong nhn c nhn xt phn hi t pha gio

vin v hc sinh t tip tc chnh sa v hon thin gio trnh ny v bin

son nhng gio trnh tip theo.

Xin trn trng cm n.

Nha Trang, ngy 12 thng 12 nm 2011

ng tc gi

V T Phng - Hong Minh Tun

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TABLE OF CONTENT

page

UNIT 1: FAMOUS ARTISTS

UNIT 2: OIL PAINTING

UNIT 3: VIETNAMESE SILK PAINTING

UNIT 4: VIETNAMESE LACQUER PAINTING

UNIT 5: DONG HO PAINTING

UNIT 6: HANG TRONG PAINGTING

UNIT 7: BUI XUAN PHAI

UNIT 8: NGUYEN PHAN CHANH

REVIEW

GLOSSARY

REFERENCES

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UNIT 1: FAMOUS ARTISTS

There are many famous artists in the world. In this unit we would like to

introduce five favorite painters. There is a lot of information from when they were

born to when they died, and important facts about their lives and artwork. Enjoy

reading and learning about these artists!

1. Leonardo Da Vinci

2. Claude Monet

3. Pablo Picasso

4. Vincent Van Gogh

5. Andy Warhol

1. Do you know any famous artist?

2. Who is your favourite artist? Why?

3. What are is famous paintings?

4. Why is it famous?

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LEONARDO DA VINCI

In 1452, Leonardo Da Vinci was born in

an Italian town called Vinci. He lived in

a time period called the Renaissance,

when everyone was interested in art.

Even though Da Vinci was a great artist,

he became famous because of all the

other things he could do. He was a

sculptor, a scientist, an inventor, an

architect, a musician, and a

mathematician. When he was twenty, he

helped his teacher finish a painting

called The Baptism of Christ. When he

was thirty, he moved to Milan. That is where he painted most of his pictures. DaVinci's

paintings were done in the Realist style. The versatility and creative power of Leonardo

mark him as a supreme example of Renaissance genius. The fame of Da Vinci's surviving

paintings has meant that he has been regarded primarily as an artist, but the thousands of

surviving pages of his notebooks reveal the most eclectic and brilliant of minds. He wrote

and drew on subjects including geology, anatomy (which he studied in order to paint the

human form more accurately), flight, gravity and optics, often flitting from subject to

subject on a single page, and writing in left-handed mirror script. He 'invented' the

bicycle, airplane, helicopter, and parachute some 500 years ahead of their time.

If all this work had been published in an intelligible form, da Vinci's place as

a pioneering scientist would have been beyond dispute. Yet his true genius was not

as a scientist or an artist, but as a combination of the two: an 'artist-engineer'. His

painting was scientific, based on a deep understanding of the workings of the

human body and the physics of light and shade. His science was expressed through

art, and his drawings and diagrams show what he meant, and how he understood

the world to work.

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FAMOUS WORKS

a. Battle

b. St John in the Wilderness Bacchus

c. La Belle Ferroniere

d. Mona Lisa (La Gioconda)

e. The Last Supper

f. Lady with an Ermine

g. The Virgin and Child with St. Anne

h. Virgin of the Rocks Louvre

i. Vitruvian Man

j. Self-portrait

1 2

3 4

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5 6

7 8

9 10

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CLAUDE MONETClaude Monet was born in 1840 on November

14 in Paris. He grew up in Le Havre, near the

sea. Even when he was young he was a very

good artist. His pictures were so good that an

art supply store let him hang his pictures in

their window.

Monet's parents did not want him to

become an artist because they thought he

would not make a good living. That did not

stop him though. When he was 20, he studied

art at an inexpensive art school in Paris.

Monet often went on trips around France to paint. In 1872, he visited Le Havre

where he painted 'An Impression, Sunrise'. When exhibited in 1874 part of its title

was used derisively by a critic to label the whole movement 'Impressionism'. This

exhibition is now known as the First Impressionist Exhibition.

When he went around France to paint, his friend Camille sometimes came along.

Camille later became Monet's wife. They had two sons, Jean and Michel. In 1878,

Camille got sick and died. A few years later, Monet got married again to a woman

named Alice.

Later, Monet and his family moved to Giverny, a small town near Paris.

This is where he painted his Impressionist wheatstack and cathedral paintings that

became very famous. Their house also had a wonderful garden with a lily pond that

had a Japanese bridge across it. These were his favorite things to paint.

Monet died in 1926 in Giverny. Many people came to his funeral. Unlike many

artists, he was famous even before he died. Now his house in Giverny is a museum that

is visited by many people.

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FAMOUS WORKS OF CLAUDE MONET

Match the titles with the paintings

1. Irises in Monet s Garden, 1900

2. "San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk", 1908

3. Poplars on the Epte, 1900

4. Red Boats, Argenteuil, 1875

5. Houses of Parliament, Effect of Sunlight in the Fog, 1900

6. "Water-Lily Pond", 1897

7. Rouen Cathedral, Faade (sunset), 18921894

8. "Impression, Sunrise", 1873

9. Woman with a parasol Facing Right

10. "Poppies at Argenteuil", 1873

11. The Cliffs at Etretat, 1885

12. "Luncheon on the Grass", 1865

13. "The Bridge at Argenteuil", 1874

14. The Artist's Garden at Vtheuil, 1880

15. "Grainstacks at the End of the Summer, Morning Effect", 1890

16. The Walk, Woman with a Parasol, 1875

1. 2.

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3. 4.

5. 6.

7. 8.

9. 10.

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11 12

13 14

15 16

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PABLO PICASSOPablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain

on October 25, 1881. His father, Jose

Ruiz, was also an artist. Picasso painted in

many styles, including Cubism and

Expressionism. He also sculpted. In

cubism, he tried to show the dimensions of

the objects in his paintings. When he

painted in the classical style, his shapes

were round and soft. In cubism, his shapes

were square and hard. When Picasso

painted, he had a blue period and a

rose period. For about three years in his early twenties, he used mostly light blue

colors in his paintings. The rose period came after the blue period. It began after he

moved from Spain to France.

In 1907 Picasso painted 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon', a revolutionary work

that introduced a major new style - 'Cubism'. Picasso worked closely with the

French artist Georges Braque in the development of this style.Picasso's next major

innovation, in 1912, was 'Collage', attaching pieces of cloth, newspaper or

advertising to his paintings.

Picasso now moved from style to style, experimenting with painting and

sculpture and becoming involved with the Surrealist movement. In 1937, he

produced 'Guernica', a painting inspired by the destruction of the town in northern

Spain by German bombers during the Spanish Civil War.

Unlike many artists, Picasso remained in Paris during the German occupation.

From 1946 to his death he lived mainly in the south of France.He continued to

produce a huge variety of work including paintings, sculptures, etchings and

ceramics. Picasso was involved with a number of women during his life who were often

artistic muses as well as lovers. He had four children. On 8 April 1973, he died of a heart

attack at his home near Cannes.

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Because he could work in multiple styles, Picasso became very famous. He

used great lines and color in his paintings.

FAMOUS PAINTINGS OF PICASSO


1. The Blind Man's Meal, 1903

2. Three Musicians (1921)

3. Massacre in Korea, 1951

4. Guernica, 1937

5. Femme aux Bras Croiss, 1902

6. Three Woman (1908)

7. Nude with Raised Arms (1907)

8. La Vie (1903), Cleveland Museum of Art

9. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (1907)

10.Portrait of Suzanne Bloch. 1904

11.The Actor, 1904

12.Dora Maar au Chat, 1941

13.Mother and Child (Summer 1907)

14.Le guitariste, 1910

15.Nude, Green Leaves and Bust (French: Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur), 1932

16. Garon la pipe, (Boy with a Pipe), 1905

1. 2.

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3. 4

5 6.

7. 8

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9. 10.

11.

12. 13

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14 . 15

16.

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VINCENT VAN GOG

Self-Portrait, September 1889

Van Gogh was born in Holland in 1853.

He worked at many jobs, such as at an

art gallery, a school, a bookstore, as a

preacher, and at last, he became an

artist. He didn't have a very happy life.

He painted sad paintings with poor

people in them. His paintings were

always very dark until he saw some

colorful Japanese paintings. Then Van

Gogh started painting happier paintings.

Most of his work was in the

Postimpressionist style.

In 1880, at the age of 27, he decided to become an artist. He moved around,

teaching himself to draw and paint and receiving financial support from Theo, his

brother. In 1886, Van Gogh joined Theo in Paris, and met many artists including

Degas, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pissarro and Gauguin, with whom he became friends. His

style changed significantly under the influence of Impressionism, becoming lighter

and brighter. He painted a large number of self-portraits in this period.

In 1888, Van Gogh moved to Provence in southern France, where he painted

his famous series 'Sunflowers'. He invited Gauguin to join him but they soon began

to quarrel and one night, Van Gogh threatened Gauguin with a razor. Deeply

remorseful he then cut off part of his own ear. This was the first serious sign of the

mental health problems that were to afflict Van Gogh for the rest of his life. He

spent time in psychiatric hospitals and swung between periods of inertia, depression

and incredibly concentrated artistic activity, his work reflecting the intense colours

and strong light of the countryside around him.

After these things happened, he painted one more gloomy painting. It was called

Wheatfield with Crows. After he finished it, he shot himself on 27 July 1890. He

died two days later.

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FAMOUS WORKS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH


1. The Starry Night

2. The Caf Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night, September 1888

3. Portrait of Dr. Gachet, 1890

4. The Church at Auvers, 1890

5. Van Gogh's Chair, 1888

6. Daubigny's Garden, July 1890,

7. Wheatfield with Crows

8. Vase with Twelve Sunflowers, August 1888

9. The night caf, 1888

10. Wheat field with Cypresses, 1889

11. The Round of the Prisoners, 1890

12. Starry Night Over the Rhone, 1888

13. Joseph Roulin (The Postman), 1888,

14. The Sower, 1888

1. 2.

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3. 4.

5 6

7. 8.

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9 10

11 12

13.14.

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ANDY WARHOLAndy Warhol was born in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in

1928. Andy was born with a

natural talent for art. His

mother encouraged him with

his drawings. His teachers

thought he had such a good

talent for art that he should

go to weekend art class.

When his family saved

enough money to send Andy to art college, he went to Carnagie Institute of

Technology, where he studied design and illustration. That's where he developed his

unusual art style.

When he graduated from school he went to New York City for a job. He got

jobs doing magazine illustrations, decorating department store windows, greeting

cards, record albums, book covers, and suns, clouds, and raindrops for television

weather reports. He still was not satisfied because he was not famous.

In the early 1960s, he began to experiment with reproductions based on

advertisements, newspaper headlines and other mass-produced images from

American popular culture such as Campbell's soup tins and Coca Cola bottles. In

1962, he began his series portraits of Marilyn Monroe. Other subjects given similar

treatment included Jackie Kennedy and Elvis Presley. This was called Popular, or

Pop Art. Now, that made him famous! Being famous was his dream. People liked his

pictures because they were bright, attractive, and familiar. Warhol liked getting

peoples ideas for new drawings.

He also tried making films. One of his films was a man sleeping for six hours.

Warhol died in 1987. By that time, he was a famous artist. His artwork made people

think of the important, everyday things in their lives.

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FAMOUS WORKS


1............................................. 2.............................................

3............................................. 4.............................................

5............................................. 6.............................................

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7............................................. 8.............................................

9............................................. 10.............................................

a) Campbell's soup (1968)

b) Giant Panda From Endangered Species Series, 1983

c) Michael Jackson

d) Turquoise Marilyn 1962

e) Diamond dust shoes, 1980 (lilac, blue, green)

f) Roll of bills, 1962

g) Christmas tree, c.1958

h) Double Elvis, c.1963

i) Flowers, c.1964

j) Butterflies, c.1955

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EXERCISES

I. Match each word or phrase in the column at the left with its meaning in the

column on the right.

1. renaissance

2. style

3. versatile

4. creative

5. supreme

6. eclectic

7. pioneering

8. genius

9. dimension

10. classical

11. major

12. innovation

13. movement

14. etch

15. significantly

16. depression

17. gloomy

18. talent

19. encourage

20. experiment

a. the revival of european art and literature under the influence

of classical models in the 14th -16th centuries.

b. able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or

activities

c. very great or the greatest

d. relating to or involving the use of the imagination

e. a way of painting

f. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range

of sources

g. involving new ideas or methods

h. an exceptionally intelligent person or one with exceptional

skill

i. a measurable extent of a particular kind, such as length,

breadth, depth, or height

j. relating to ancient greek or latin literature, art, or culture

k. important, serious, or significant

l. a new method, idea, product

m. a change or development

n. engrave (metal, glass, or stone ) by coating it with a protective

layer, drawing on it with a needle , and then covering it with

acid to attack the parts the needle has exposed, especially in

order to produce prints from it

o. in a sufficiently great or important way as to be worthy of

attention

p. severe, typically prolonged, feelings of despondency and

dejection

q. dark or poorly lit

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r. natural aptitude or skill

s. give support, confidence, or hope to (someone)

t. perform a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory

II. Select the suitable words in the box to complete the sentences

1. people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless,

worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless.

2. Most historians agree that the ideas that characterized the had

their origin in late 13th century Florence

3. In the visual arts, refers to the aspects of the visual appearance

of a work of art that relate it to other works by the same artist or one from the

same period, training, location, "school" or art movement.

4. Most people associate with the fields of art and literature

5. the technique was by a Swiss doctor in the 1930s

6. Leonardo da Vinci is widely acknowledged as having been a and

a polymath.

7. Time is often referred to as the "fourth ", but that is not to imply

that it is a spatial dimension

8. The term music is used colloquially to describe a variety of

Western musical styles from the 9th century to the present.

9. vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on

repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results.

10. An art is a tendency or style in art with a specific common

philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a restricted period of

pioneeredclassical

Renaissancestyle

creativitymovement

etchinggenius

dimensiondepressionexperiment

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time, or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined within usually a

number of years.

11. is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the

unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal

(the original processin modern manufacturing other chemicals may be used

on other types of material).

III. VOCABULARY CHECK

A. Find in the passages the words that have the same meaning with these

1. intelligent

2. assist

3. draw

4. well-known

5. painting

..

..

..

..

..

B. Find in the passages the words that have different meaning with these

1. expensive

2. right-handed

3. soft

4. happy

5. light (a)

6. healthy

7. far

8. diferent

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

IV. Reading comprehension

A. True or false? (With the Introduction)

1. Leonardo Da Vinci was born in an French town called Vinci.

2. Leonardo Da Vinci was a sculptor, a scientist, an inventor, an

architect, a musician, and a mathematician and a fortuneteller.

3. Leonardo Da Vinci 's paintings were drawn in the Realist style.

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4. Claude Monet was a Spainish.

5. He grew up in a city near the sea.

6. Monet's parents did not want him to become an artist because they

thought he would not earn much money.

7. Monet was famous after he died.

8. Picassos father, Jose Ruiz, was an artist.

9. In cubism, Picassos shapes were round and hard.

10. On 8 April 1973, he died of a heart attack at his home near

Cannes.

11. Because Picasso worked in cubism, he became very famous.

12. Van Gogh was born in Iceland in 1853.

13. Van Gogh had a very happy life.

14. Van Gogh painted sad paintings with poor people in them.

15. Van Gogh killed himself.

16. Andy was born with a natural talent for art.

17. People liked Andy Warhols pictures because they were bright,

attractive, and familiar.

18. Andy Warhol also made films.

B. Answer the questions

1. In what time period did Leonardo Da Vinci live in?

..

2. Why was Leonardo Da Vinci famous?

..

3. What subjects did Leonardo Da Vinci write and draw on?

..

4. What did he invent?

..

5. Did Monets parents want him to become an artist? Why or why not?

..

6. Where did he paint 'An Impression, Sunrise'?

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..

7. Where is Giverny?

..

8. Where was Pablo Picasso born?

..

9. Did Pablo Picasso only paint in Cubism and Expressionism?

..

10. .in his blue period what colors did he use mostly in his painting?

..

11. What is 'Collage'?

..

12. What inspired Picasso to produce 'Guernica'?

..

13. Why did Picasso die?

..

14. Where was Van Gogh born?

..

15. Where did Van Gogh paint the famous series 'Sunflowers'?

..

16. What part of Van Goghs body did he cut off?

..

17. What is Van Goghs last painting?

..

18. Where was Andy Warhol born?

..

19. In what year did Andy begin his series portraits of Marilyn Monroe?

..

20. Why did people like Andys pictures?

..

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V. Grammar: IF CLAUSE

TYPE 1

If clause Main clause

form If/unless/if not + present

tense

I shall/will/can/may/might + verb

If I learn hard Ill get good mark

function Probable action/result in the future according to a real condition

TYPE 2


form If/unless/if not + past

tense

I should/would/could/might + verb

If I learned hard Id get good mark

function Possible action/result according to a less probable condition in the

future

We'd have enough money for a new car if you found a good job.

Fantasized result or action according to an unreal (untrue)

condition in the present

We'd buy a Rolls Royce if we were rich

TYPE 3


form If/unless/if not + past

perfect

I should/would/could/might + have

+ past participle

If I had learned hard I would have got good mark

function If- clause: unreal condition: the condition can't be fulfilled any

longer, because it should have happened in the past, but didn't.

main clause: the consequence can't take place any more, because the

condition couldn't be fulfilled.

If I had learnt more (but I didn't learn=unreal condition), I would

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have got a better mark. (So I didn't get a better mark= impossible

consequence)

or the other way round:

I would have got a better mark (So I didn't get a better mark=

impossible consequence) if I had learnt more (but I didn't

learn=unreal condition)

Speaking

1. Who is your favourite artist ?

2. What do you know about him?

3. Name some famous painting of him?

Writing

1. What painting do you like best?

2. Why do you like it?

3. Do you know anything about the painter?

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UNIT 2: OIL PAINTING

INTRODUCTION

Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a

medium of drying oil especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil

such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these

were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body and gloss. Other oils

occasionally used include poppyseed oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil. These oils

confer various properties to the oil paint, such as less yellowing or different drying

times. Certain differences are also visible in the sheen of the paints depending on the

oil. Painters often use different oils in the same painting depending on specific

pigments and effects desired. The paints themselves also develop a particular

consistency depending on the medium.

Although oil paint was first used for the Buddhist Paintings by Indian and

Chinese painters in western Afghanistan sometime between the fifth and ninth

centuries, it did not gain popularity until the 15th century. Its practice may have

migrated westward during the Middle Ages. Oil paint eventually became the

principal medium used for creating artworks as its advantages became widely

known. The transition began with Early Netherlandish painting in northern Europe,

and by the height of the Renaissance oil painting techniques had almost completely

replaced tempera paints in the majority of Europe.

In recent years, water soluble oil paint has come to prominence, to some

extent replacing the usage of traditional oils. Water soluble paints contain an

emulsifier which allows them to be thinned with water (rather than with paint

thinner), and allows very fast drying times (1-3 days) when compared with

traditional oils (1-3 weeks).

1. What is oil painting?

2. What is oil paint made of?

3. Who invented oil paint?

4. When did oil painting become popular?

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Techniques

Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist sketching the

subject onto the canvas with charcoal or thinned paint. Oil paint is usually mixed

with linseed oil, artist grade mineral spirits or other solvents to create a thinner,

faster or slower drying paint. A basic rule of oil paint application is 'fat over lean.'

This means that each additional layer of paint should contain more oil than the layer

below to allow proper drying. If each additional layer contains less oil, the final

painting will crack and peel. There are many other media that can be used in oil

painting, including cold wax, resins, and varnishes. These additional media can aid

the painter in adjusting the translucency of the paint, the sheen of the paint, the

density or 'body' of the paint, and the ability of the paint to hold or conceal the

brushstroke. These variables are closely related to the expressive capacity of oil

paint.

Traditionally, paint was transferred to the painting surface using paint

brushes, but there are other methods, including using palette knives and rags. Oil

paint remains wet longer than many other types of artists' materials, enabling the

artist to change the color, texture or form of the figure. At times, the painter might

even remove an entire layer of paint and begin anew. This can be done with a rag

and some turpentine for a certain time while the paint is wet, but after a while, the

hardened layer must be scraped. Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation, and is

usually dry to the touch within a span of two weeks. It is generally dry enough to be

varnished in six months to a year. Art conservators do not consider an oil painting

completely dry until it is 60 to 80 years old.

History of oil painting

From the time of the Greeks the chemistry of art and the chemistry of

medicine were closely related and the recipes used for both were frequently written

in the same books. These recipes were kept throughout the early centuries of

Christianity by monks until their broader use outside of the monasteries in the

middle ages. The use of drying oils is recorded among these recipes, listing walnut

oil, poppy oil, hempseed oil, castor oil, and linseed oil as varnishes to seal pictures

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and protect them from water. Adequately thickened, they became resinous in and of

themselves and therefore worked as varnishes quite well. Later on, yellow pigments

were added to the oil and it was spread over tin foil to mimic the look of gold leaf,

but at less cost. And as early as the thirteenth century oil was used for painting

details over tempera pictures.

The oldest Mediterranean civilization, Greek, Roman or Egyptian have

extensively used painting techniques based on mixtures of encaustic (probably rich in

bee wax), mineral pigments (iron, copper, manganese oxides) and tempera. Vegetable

oils, such as flax, walnut or poppyseed oil were known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks

or Romans, but no precise indication of their use in painting may be found. Tempera

is a fluid mixture of binder (organic medium), water and volatile additives (vegetal

essential oils).

At the end of the roman empire and up to the Renaissance period (15th

century), this ancient technique was lost and replaced by oil paint and/or tempera. In

Italy and Greece, olive oil was used to prepare pigment mixtures but the drying time

was excessively long and tedious in the case of figures. This drawback led a German

monk, Theophilus , in the 12th century to warn against paint recipes including olive

oil. It was reported that Aetius Amidenus , a medical writer in the 5th century,

mentioned the use of a drying oil as a varnish on paintings. Similarly, it seems that

perilla oil was used in Japan in painting after addition of lead in the 8th century.

Flax seed is the source of linseed oil.

According to Giorgio Vasari (1511-

1574) the technique of oil painting, as

used till now with few technical

modifications, was invented or re-

invented in Europe around 1410 by Jan

van Eyck (1390 -1441). In fact, as said

before, this Flemish painter was not the

first to use oil paint, his real achievement

was the development of a stable varnish

based on a siccative oil (mainly linseed oil) as the binder of mineral pigments. It could

be established that the Van Eyck secret was a mixture of piled glass, calcined bones

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and mineral pigments in linseed oil maintained a long time up to a viscous state at

boiling temperature. Besides linseed oil, walnut oil and poppy-seed oil were also used

while not so quick-drying. It is probable that painters have already observed that these

oils led to accelerated drying time of canvas under the sun.

After Van Eyck, Antonello da Messina (1430-1479) introduced a new

technical improvement. He added a lead oxide (litharge) in the pigment-oil mixtures

to increase their siccative property. Later, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) improved

the preparation in cooking the oily mixtures at low temperature (boiling water) after

the addition of 5 to 10% of bee wax, thus preventing a too dark color. While

Giorgione (1477-1510), Titian (1488-1576) and Tintoreto (1518-1594) have slightly

altered the original recipe, this technique was kept secretly in Italian ateliers nearly

during three centuries, thus warranting their supremacy and radiance in whole Europe.

From 1600 and during his 9 year stay in Italy, Rubens studied the Italian

medium and made his own improvements. It is reported that Rubens used walnut oil

warmed with lead oxide and some mastic dissolved in turpentine to grind mineral

pigments.

Oil painting palette

The oldest known oil painting, dating

from 650 A.D., has been found in caves

in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley,

according to a team of Japanese,

European and U.S. scientists. The

discovery reverses a common perception

that the oil painting, considered a typically

Western art, originated in Europe, where

the earliest examples date to the early 12th

century A.D. Famous for its 1,500-year-

old massive Buddha statues, the

Bamiyan Valley features several caves

painted with Buddhist images. Damaged

By the severe natural environment and Taliban dynamite, the cave murals have been

restored and studied by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in Tokyo,

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as a UNESCO/Japanese Fund-in-Trust project; however most of the paintings have

been lost, looted or deteriorated. The research also found that particular group of caves

were painted with oil painting technique, using perhaps walnut and poppy seed drying

oils. Some caves have rough wall surfaces and matte finishes, and others have very

smooth surface, whilst some have a transparency and shininess and some paintings have

glaze-like layers on top of paint. (Source: wikipedia)

EXAMPLES OF FAMOUS OIL PAINTINGS

1. Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci, c. 150306

2. The Francesco St Jerome by Palma il Giovane, circa 1590. A rare example of

oil painting on copper.

3. Le Moulin de la Galette, Pierre-Auguste Renoir 1876

4. The Cardplayers, Paul Czanne, 1892

5. Water Lilies, Claude Monet, 1916

6. The Blue Boy, Thomas Gainsborough, 1770

7. The Toilet of Venus, Franois Boucher, 1751

8. Napoleon Crossing through the St. Bernard Pass, Jacques-Louis David, 1801

9. Carnation Lily, John Singer Sargent, 18851886

10. Portrait of Dr. Gachet, Vincent van Gogh, 1890

11. Impression, Sunrise, Claude Monet, 1872

12. The Rape of Europa, Titian, 1562

1.2.

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7. 8.

3. 4.

5. 6.

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9. 10.

11. 12.

EXERCISES



1. medium

2. effect

3. majority

4. prominence

5. charcoal

6. solvent

7. crack

a. the greater number

b. the state of being important, famous, or noticeable

c. a white translucent material obtained from beeswax

d. a sticky flammable organic substance exuded by some

trees and other plants

e. the material or form used by an artist

f. a change which is a result or consequence of an action or

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8. peel

9. wax

10. resin

11. varnish

12. conceal

13. brushstroke

14. rag

15. encaustic

16. atelier

17. loot

18. deteriorate

other cause

g. a porous black solid, consisting of an amorphous form of

carbon

h. a liquid used for dissolving other substances

i. break or cause to break open or apart

j. a piece of old cloth

k. a volatile pungent oil

l. decorated by burning in colours as an inlay

m. a workshop or studio used by an artist

n. steal (goods) in a war

o. become progressively worse

p. remove a thin outer covering or part

q. resin dissolved in a liquid for applying on wood, metal,

or other materials to form a hard , clear, shiny surface

when dry.

r. not allow to be seen; hide

s. a mark made by a paintbrush drawn across a surface.

II. Reading comprehension

A. True or false? (With the Introduction)

1. Painters often use one type of oil in a painting.

2. Oil paint was first used for the Buddhist Paintings by Indian and

Chinese painters in western Afghanistan sometime between the

5th and 9th centuries

3. Oil paint gained popularity in the 14th century.

4. Traditional oil painting techniques often begin with the artist

sketching the subject onto the canvas with pencil or thinned

paint.

5. The rule of 'fat over lean means that each additional layer of

paint should contain more oil than the layer below to allow

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proper drying.

6. Artists who use oil paint can change the color, texture or form

of the figure.

7. Painter might remove an entire layer of paint and begin anew

with a rag and some turpentine for a certain time while the paint

is wet.

8. Oil paint dries by evaporation.

9. Oil paint is generally dry enough to be varnished in a week to a

month.

10. Art conservators do not consider an oil painting completely dry

until it is 10 years old.


1. What does the rule 'fat over lean.' Mean?

..

2. What will happen if additional layer of paint contains less oil?

..

3. What are media that can be used in oil painting?

..

4. How to express capacity of oil paint?

..

5. What are the methods to transfer paint to the painting surface?

..

6. When were the recipes of the chemistry used outside of the monasteries?

..

7. Who used painting techniques based on mixtures of encaustic, mineral

pigments and tempera?

..

8. Where was perilla oil used in painting?

..

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9. According to Giorgio Vasari, where/when was the technique of oil painting,

as used till now with few technical modifications, was invented?

..

10. According to Giorgio Vasari, who invented the technique of oil painting?

..

III. Grammar: RESTRICTIVE RELATIVE CLAUSES AND PHRASES

The relative clause or phrase called restrictive when it is needed to

understand which specific person or thing the modified noun is. A restrictive clause

is not set off with commas. These clauses restrict or limit the meaning of the

nouns they modify. They tell you which one and make the meaning specific.

Relative clauses that begin with that are always restrictive; they should not be set off

by commas.

Example: The man who came by yesterday is my professor.

The man is my professor.

(Which man? Without the relative clause, we dont know which man.)

Practice Exercises

Add commas only where needed.

1. Not all artists who become famous have spent years studying.

2. Anna Robertson Moses who was also known as Grandma Moses is considered the

Grande Dame of U.S. art.

3. Grandma Moses who started painting when she was seventy-six never had an art

lesson.

4. Her realistic and simple scenes depicting American rural life have been praised by

critics and spectators alike.

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5. These colorful pictures which are called primitives are based on her early life in

rural New York.

6. She began to paint at a time when her arthritis made her pastime of embroidering

too painful.

7. This energetic woman who lived to be 101 continued to create works of wonder

and charm until shortly before her death.

8. Grandma Moses who painted without any formal training remains one of the

twentieth centurys most famous primitive artists.

(Trch t http://www.uhv.edu/ac/grammar/pdf/relativeclauses.pdf)

Activity 1: Translate the paragraph into Vietnamese:

Traditionally, paint was transferred to the painting surface using paint

brushes, but there are other methods, including using palette knives and rags. Oil

paint remains wet longer than many other types of artists' materials, enabling the

artist to change the color, texture or form of the figure. At times, the painter might

even remove an entire layer of paint and begin anew. This can be done with a rag

and some turpentine for a certain time while the paint is wet, but after a while, the

hardened layer must be scraped. Oil paint dries by oxidation, not evaporation, and is

usually dry to the touch within a span of two weeks. It is generally dry enough to be

varnished in six months to a year. Art conservators do not consider an oil painting

completely dry until it is 60 to 80 years old.

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Activity 2: Writing/speaking

Topic: What oil painting do you like best? Explain why?

(100-120 words)

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UNIT 3: VIETNAMESE SILK PAINTINGS

VIETNAMESE SILK PAINTINGS

The traditional Vietnamese art of silk painting has become famous around the

world for its simple poetic themes and vibrant colors. The success of a silk painting very

much depends on the quality of the silk, and this depends on many factors, from the

quality of cocoons to the decisive techniques of starching and weaving.

Differently with other kinds of paintings, the silk canvas are usually not

painted. The Vietnamese traditional silk painting style tends to use the silk canvas

directly as the background of the painting. The colors are used delicately with the

canvas to make Vietnamese silk paintings. The delicate white color found in the sky,

water, or human portrait, is the color of silk. The color of silk is well known to

describe human figure in the paintings of many famous vietnamese artists. Delicate

color and silk background give the paintings such an harmony with the nature.

Whatever style they follow, silk painters must have an intimate knowledge of the

material and fully exploit its shininess and its attractiveness. Painting silk is full of

changing and unexpected characteristics, and a wrong stroke of the brush is

irreversible.

Famous artists on silk painting

In 1930, Nguyen Phan Chanh, referring to the silk paintings of the Chinese

dynasties of Tang and Sung, made initial steps in Vietnamese silk painting. Later on,

Tran Van Can, Luu Van Sin, Nguyen Tien Chung combined this painting with Western

painting, providing it with a new technique and a new content. It is often said "as mild

as silk painting". Their silks are very mild, but they are very neat, sometimes vigorous

even. Forms, persons, landscapes are all clear as daylight and constitute a realist beauty

of a scientific character. Silk represents an important language of Vietnamese painting

after lacquer. Its capacity of absorption and dilution given to the works an impression of

1. Do you know any Vietnamese famous artist for silk painting?

2. Do you know any famous Vietnamese silk paintings?

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mellowness spreading through the woofs and wefts of silk, adding a certain vibration to

the forms and colours.

History of Vietnamese Silk Paintings

According to Vietnamese legend, in the second century BC a beautiful

princess, named Hoang Phu Thieu Hoa, discovered small caterpillars (later known as

silkworms) spinning cocoons of fine thread. She took this knowledge to the nearby

villages of Co Do and Van Sa located in the Ba Vi District of Son Tay Province. The

weavers in these villages refined the silk thread and spread their knowledge through

the sixty neighboring villages. In the 11th century, Queen Nguyen Phi Y Lan

founded the first silk weaving workshop in the capital city of Thang Long (Ha Noi).

The production of high quality silk is a long and difficult process even today; as a

result, it is considered a precious material. The best silk still comes from the Ha

Dong regions where the princess discovered it twenty centuries ago.

Silk is an extremely difficult and unforgiving medium in which to work,

requiring great patience and discipline from the artists and discouraging many.

Before an artist can begin to paint on silk, it must be carefully stretched on a

wooden frame. Painting on silk is done using thin layers of watercolor. If the

colors are applied too thickly the unique property of silk painting can be lost. The

colors must be applied with great care because a wrong stroke of the brush is

irreversible. There are many types of silk that can be used ranging from very close

woven long grained silk to more coarse and short grain silk.

After many generations of development of techniques and styles, silk painting

reached world acclaim during the years 1925-1945. The Vietnamese style of silk

painting emphasized softness, elegance and a flexibility of style. These qualities of silk

painting were different compared to, at the time, the dominant French and European oil

painting. In 1946, Vietnamese silk painting were discovered and introduced to the

world when Vietnamese silk paintings won two prizes at the official Salon organized in

France. Vietnamese silk paintings are now popular throughout the world due to their

unique character and transparency of colors that are different from those of Chinese and

Japanese pieces.(Source http://www.particulargallery.com/ArtHistory)

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VIETNAMESE SILK PAINTINGS OF FAMOUS ARTISTS

Match the titles with the picture

1. H Giang highland, Phan Thanh Lim

2. Market on highland, Trn Quang Dng

3. Hair combing, 1941, Nguyn Vn Long

4. 'Learning to Draw.',Nguyn Phan Chnh

5. Hanoi woman" L Th Kim Bch.

6. "waiting" V Hnh Chi.

7. "a sleeping child" Nguyn Th Mng Bch

8. on Ma river" Hong Ch.

9. 'Having a Bath in Early Morning.',Nguyn Phan Chnh

10. sunset Nguyn Phc Li.

11. Hair combing, Nguyn Phan Chnh (1892 - 1984)

12. A kitchen corner, Nguyn Yn Nguyt

13. Playing square game, Nguyn Phan Chnh

14. Go into the trance, Nguyn Phan Chnh

15. Ha Long bay, Phm Hc Hi

16. Spring festival tranh la ca Trn c

1 2

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3 4

5 6

7 8.

9 10

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11 12

13 14

15 16

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EXERCISES



1. delicate

2. background

3. harmony

4. vibrant

5. cocoon

6. tend

7. intimate

8. exploit

9. characteristic

10. irreversible

11. neat

12. vigorous

13. dilute

14. mellow

15. spin

16. refine

17. precious

a. the part of a picture, scene, or design that forms a setting

for the main figures or objects, or appears furthest from

the viewer

b. (of colour) subtle and subdued

c. closely acquainted; familiar

d. a silky case spun by the larvae of many insects for

protection as pupae.

e. of great value

f. have a certain characteristic

g. remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a

substance),

h. not able to be undone or altered

i. strong, healthy, and full of energy

j. a feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place,

or thing and serving to identify them

k. the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole

l. full of energy and life

m. turn or whirl round quickly

n. make full use of and derive benefit from

o. arranged in a tidy way; in good order

p. make (a liquid) thinner or weaker by adding water or

another solvent to it

q. pleasantly smooth or soft

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1. The Vietnamese traditional silk painting style tends to use the silk canvas

directly as the of the painting.

2. Painting on silk begins with a luxurious base of pure white China

silk stretched tightly on a frame.

3. Teena Hughes has been painting on silk since 1980 and loves the

colours and bold designs

4. In watercolors, a wash is the application of paint in a manner that

disguises or effaces individual brush strokes to produce a unified area of color.

5. painting techniques have a lengthy history rooted in Eastern

culture.

6. Humidity and painting technique can cause canvases to lose their

tension

7. Whatever style they follow, silk painters must have an intimate knowledge of

the material and fully its shininess and its attractiveness.

8. color and silk background give the paintings such an harmony

with the nature.

9. Painting silk is full of changing and unexpected characteristics, and a wrong

stroke of the brush is .

10. Silk comes from the of the silk worm and requires a great deal of

handling and processing, which makes it one of the most expensive fibers also

11. There are two main ways to color silk: paints and dyes. Dyes actually bond with

the fiber and allow it to keep its silky feel, while paint just sits on top of the

fabric and to make the silk a little stiffer than raw silk would be.

delicatebackground

orientalvigorous

dilutedpreciousexploitvibrant

cocoontends

characteristicirreversible

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12. Korea artists in the late Choson period often dress the figures in Chinese-style

attire, sign the painting with the name of a famous Chinese artist and paint the

fantastic, exaggerated landscapes of China.

III. Reading comprehension

A. True or false?

1. The traditional Vietnamese art of silk painting has become

famous around the world for its simple colors.

2. The success of a silk painting very much depends on the

quality of the silk, and many factors.

3. the quality of the silk depends on many factors, from the

quality of cocoons to the decisive techniques of starching and

weaving.

4. Silk painters must have an intimate knowledge of the material

and fully exploit its shininess and its attractiveness.

5. Nguyen Phan Chanh is the first artist in Vietnamese silk

painting.

6. In the tenth century, Queen Nguyen Phi Y Lan founded the

first silk weaving workshop in the capital city of Thang Long.

7. The best silk omes from the Ha Noi regions.

8. Painting on silk is done using thin layers of watercolor.

9. The Vietnamese style of silk painting emphasized softness,

elegance and a flexibility of style.

10. Vietnamese silk paintings are now popular throughout the

world due to their unique character and transparency of colors

that are the same those of Chinese and Japanese pieces.


1. What give the Vietnamese silk paintings such an harmony with the nature?

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2. Why the traditional Vietnamese art of silk painting has become famous around

the world?

3. What does the success of a silk painting very much depends on?

4. Why are silk canvas different with other kinds of paintings?

5. Who made initial steps in Vietnamese silk painting?

6. Who combined silk painting with Western painting?

7. Who founded the first silk weaving workshop in the capital city of Thang Long?

8. Where does the best silk come from?

9. How many types of silk?

10. What does the Vietnamese style of silk painting emphasized?

11. Why do Vietnamese silk paintings are now popular throughout the world?

IV. Grammar: subject verb agreement

BasicRule.

singular subject singular verb He talksplural subject plural verb. They talk

Rule 1

or singular subject nor singular subject

singular verb. My aunt or my uncle isarriving by train today.

or plural subject nor plural

subject

plural verb. Either my father or mybrothers are going tosell the house.

Are either my brothersor my father

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responsible?

Rule 2.

Eitheror Neithernor

singular verb Neither Juan norCarmen is available.

Either Kiana or Casey ishelping today with stagedecorations.

Rule 3Eitheror INeithernor I

singular verb am Neither she nor I amgoing to the festival.

Rule 4.singular subject orplural subject

plural verb The serving bowl or theplates go on that shelf.

Rule 5

Either singular subjector plural subjectNeither singularsubject nor pluralsubject

plural verb Neither Jenny nor theothers are available.

Rule 6..... and plural verb A car and a bike are my

means of transportation.

Rule 7

singularsubject

, along with ...., as well as ...., besides ...., not ....,together with...., as well as....

singular verb The politician, alongwith the newsmen, isexpected shortly.

Excitement, as well asnervousness, is thecauseof her shaking.

pluralsubject

, along with ..., as well as ...., besides ...., not ....,together with, as well as....

plural verb The politicians, alongwith the newsmen, areexpected shortly.

Rule 8eacheveryoneevery one

singular verbs Each of the girls singswell.

Every one of the cakes is

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everybodyanyoneanybodysomeonesomebodyno onenobody

gone.

Rule 9

half of,a part of,a percentageof,a majority of

+singularsubject

singular verb Fifty percent of the piehas disappeared.Pie is the object of thepreposition of.

One-third of the city isunemployed.

All of the pie is gone. Some of the pie is

missing. None of the garbage was

picked up. Of all her books, none

have sold as well as thefirst one.

A large percentage ofthe older population isvoting against her.

Two-fifths of thevineyard was destroyedby fire.

Forty percent of thestudent body is in favorof changing the policy.

Two and two is four. Four times four divided

by two is eight.

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half of,a part of,a percentage of,a majority of

+pluralsubject

plural verb Fifty percent of the pieshave disappeared.

One-third of the peopleare unemployed.

All of the pies are gone. None of the sentences

were punctuatedcorrectly.

Of all her books, nonehave sold as well as thefirst one.

Some of the voters arestill angry.

Two-fifths of the troopswere lost in the battle.

Forty percent of thestudents are in favor ofchanging the policy.

Rule 10

the number of plural verb The number of peoplewe need to hire isthirteen.

A number of people havewritten in about thissubject.

Rule 11

either of neither of

singular verbs Either of us is capable ofdoing the job.

Neither of them isavailable to speak rightnow.

Rule 12

here + be + singularthere + be + plural

singular verbs There is a high hurdle tojump.

here + be + pluralthere + be + plural

plural verb There are four hurdlesto jump.

Rule 13 sums of money singular verb Ten dollars is a high

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periods of time. price to pay. Five years is the

maximum sentence forthat offense.

Rule 14

singular subject +who/that/which

singular verbs Salma is the scientistwho writes the reports.

plural subject +who/that/which

plural verb He is one of the menwho do the work.

Rule 15

Collective nouns (suchas team/staff)

singular verbs orplural verb

The staff is in a meeting.Staff is acting as a unithere.

The staff are indisagreement about thefindings.The staff are acting asseparate individuals inthis example.

The sentence would readeven better as:The staff members are indisagreement about thefindings.

Rule 16

Allsome

singular subjectsingular verbs Some of the water isgone.

Allsome

plural subject plural verb Some of the beads aremissing.

Rule 17none singular subjectsingular verbs None of you claims

responsibility for thisincident?

none plural subject plural verb None of you claimresponsibility for thisincident?

None of the students

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have done theirhomework. (In this lastexample, the word theirprecludes the use of thesingular verb.

Rule 18A pair of + PluralForms of Nouns

singular verbs A pair of plaid trousersis in the closet.

Rule 19

Some words end in -sbut are really singular

singular verbs The news from the frontis bad.

Measles is a dangerousdisease for pregnantwomen.

Rule 20

If your sentencecompounds a positiveand a negative subjectand one is plural, theother singular,

the verb shouldagree with thepositive subject.

The departmentmembers but not thechair have decided notto teach on Valentine'sDay.

It is not the facultymembers but thepresident who decidesthis issue.

It was the speaker, nothis ideas, that hasprovoked the students toriot.

Exercise 1: Choose the best answers

1. There ____________ several reasons why you should reconsider your decision.

a. are b. is

2. Howard and Vincent, who ____________ a copy center in town, have decided to

expand their business.

a. runs b. run

3. Both of the statues on the shelf ____________ broken.

a. are b. is

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4. The fishing boat that has been tied up at the pier for three days ____________

finally on its way this morning.

a. was b. were

5. The chairman, along with his two assistants, ____________ to attend the annual

convention.

a. plan b. plans

6. The issues of inflation and tax reform ____________ to be on everyone's mind.

a. continue b. continues

7. Juan or Julian ____________ the conference room each week.

a. prepare b. prepares

8. Not one of the performers ____________ at the party after the concert.

a. were b. was

9. The results of the election ____________ not available for two days.

a. were b. was

10. When there ____________ thunderstorms approaching, we are always

reminded of the threat of tornadoes.

a. is b. are

V. Translate these sentences into English

1. Tranh la c t lu i ti Trung Quc, Nht Bn. Vit Nam ngy nay cn lu

li mt bc chn dung Nguyn Tri v mt bc chn dung Phng Khc Khoan t

i nh L. C hai bc ny (cha r tc gi) u v trn la.

2. Tranh la hin i Vit Nam mi ra i t thp nin 1930.

3. Nguyn Phan Chnh (1892-1984) c coi l ha s khai ph loi hnh tranh

la hin i Vit Nam.

4. Mai Trung Th, L Ph, L Th Lu l nhng ngi sng Paris, trung tm hi ha th

gii vi trng phi tn k, nhng h vn v tranh la, gp phn ct ln mt ting ni

ngh thut c o ca Vit Nam.

5. Mu dng v la thng l mu nc, phm hoc mc nho.

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6. Mt bc tranh la khng l, di hn 24 mt, xut x t Trung Quc (nh) va

c bn vi gi 19 triu bng Anh ti mt cuc u gi th Paris (Php).

(Thanh nien online Th by, 13/08/2011, 22:12:25 GMT+7)

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UNIT 4: VIETNAMESE LACQUER PAINTINGS

Introduction

Lacquered items have been found in ancient tombs in Vietnam dating as far

back as the third and fourth centuries B.C. Over the centuries, Vietnamese master

craftsmen and artists have mastered techniques using lacquer for purpose of

decoration and preservation. Lacquer paintings now can compete successfully with

silk and oil paintings and have the unique character of this style of painting.

Artistic Characteristics:

Lacquer traditionally comes in three colors - brown, black and vermilion. By the

1930s, artists started to use a new technique known as chiseling which gives a

richer mix of colors and an added sense of size and distance..

The painting is done on wood. It is covered with a piece of cloth glued to it

using the sap of the lacquer tree and then coated with a layer of the sap mixed

with earth. The board is then sand papered and recoated with a layer of hot sap.

After polishing, this gives a smooth black surface with a brilliant luster.

The painter uses hot lacquer to draw the outline of a picture and the colors are

applied one by one, layer upon layer. Each coat dries slowly.

The finishing touches consist of polishing and washing the pictures. This

process may seem like brutal treatment for a work of art, but it is done with great

care. This process leaves a brilliant surface on a painting.

Through years of experience and experimentation, the artists use the

addition of other substances such as plant material ash, crushed eggshells, gold

and silver to embellish their works. These additional substances help the modern

artists to express themselves fully and to further add creativity and individuality

of style to their art works

1. What medium are used to make lacquer painting?

2. How to make lacquer painting?

3. Name some artists who are famous in lacquer painting.

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Making

Vietnamese Lacquer Ware has a history of about two thousand years. In Phu

Tho Province, in Northern Vietnam, resins are harvested from the Rhus Succedanea

Tree and converted into natural lacquer, which is then applied to paintings and fine

art. The traditional lacquer process, as practiced in Vietnam, is complex and requires

75 to 115 days to complete each piece. There are many steps to the production of

lacquer ware. Any imperfections in the wood are first sealed with lacquer. The wood

is then covered with cotton gauze and covered with a thick mixture of sawdust,

alluvial soil, finely ground rock, and lacquer. After drying it is sanded smooth under

water. It is then painted with a mixture of alluvial soil and lacquer and wet sanded.

The coating and sanding process is repeated at least two more times. At this point

the artwork is applied to the piece by hand using any combination of paints, seashell,

mother of pearl, eggshell, and other materials. The surface areas of piece without

artwork are painted with solid lacquer, while the areas with the design are coated

with a special clear lacquer. The artwork is then entirely coated at least two more

times with clear lacquer. Finally it is highly polished with wax.

Materials

The Vietnamese were capable of making lacquer painting, just like oil painting

was the privilege of Europeans. Vietnamese use a kind of resin to make lacquer

painting. However this malicious resin has rather extravagant characteristics. To have

it dry, it must be kept in heat. The cold and dry weather prevents it from being ever

dry.

To paint with lacquer, one must paint in depth what is in the external layer of

the picture and paint above what is in the internal layer, then rub it with pumice and

the picture will be visible. The strokes must be minute because there is a great deal

of sticky matter and a high degree of homogeneity must be achieved in the lacquer,

because everything might disappear during the pumicing. The creation is done in

several stages, after each of them, the lacquer dries and only then can one start the

following stage. A small mistake can be disastrous. Thousands of other difficulties

are to be overcome, the working rules must be strictly observed. Only a true artisan

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in the lacquering art who has inherited the secrets transmitted from generation to

generation can resolve these problems.

The palette of lacquer painting includes only the color of canhgian (cockroach

wings), then (black), son (red), silver and gold. Gold and silver must be pure gold and

silver, which in the present are difficult to obtain. To prepare the color, mother-of-pearl

and egg shell are also used. Other materials are sometimes not so effective. If all the

complex stages are got over, sometimes still kept secret, we shall certainly obtain a

marvellous world of material, color and light, a magnificent world unknown up to now.

In 1958, a delegation of Vietnamese painters brought their lacquer works to the

International Exhibition of Fine Arts held in Moscow by the socialist countries. Their

works were highly appreciated when the contents of the works reflected the multiple

aspects of daily life in a manner characterized by perspicacity and romanticism.

Famous artist in lacquer painting

Form 1957 onwards, pumice lacquer was more and more recognized as the

principal language of the Vietnamese painting. Almost all painters wanted to

achieve the most important work of their life by means of this material. Tran Van

Can has enthusiastically composed some most successful lacquer paintings in all his

artist life. In the race to valorize this traditional material, Nguyen Gia Tri was the

first to attain the aim. On the surfaces of the paintings, colours and material

constitute layers that intermingle to form a bloc of amber perfectly limpid and

Nguyen Gia Tri added strokes to set out his personages in the background, young

girls standing or sitting, going to and fro, pursuing a butterfly or picking flowers,

playing under the leaves of a weeping willow floating in the wind, or walking on the

bank of a lake where white lotuses are blooming. All were arranged in a harmonious

rhythm with arabesques to make viewers feel the contrast between extreme richness

and maximal modesty. Very few persons can equal Nguyen Gia Tri in lacquer

painting. A painter who has made profound studies of pumice lacquer said: "Pumice

lacquer can be compared to a religious man who observes strict control of himself,

respecting the rigorous rules of his original religion."

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EXERCISES



1. technique

2. decoration

3. unique

4. chisel

5. luster

6. brutal

7. embellish

8. resin

9. convert

10. gauze

11. sawdust

12. characterize

13. perspicacity

14. pumice

15. limpid

16. stroke

17. polish

18. wax

a. Ornamentation

b. being the only one of its kind

c. or ability in a particular field

d. a long- bladed hand tool with a bevelled cutting edge and

a handle which is struck with a hammer or mallet, used to

cut or shape wood, stone , or metal.

e. A gentle sheen or soft glow

f. a sticky flammable organic substance, insoluble in water,

exuded by some trees and other plants

g. savagely violent

h. a thin transparent fabric of silk, linen, or cotton

i. make (something) more attractive by the addition of

decorative details or features

j. completely clear

k. a mark made by drawing a pen , pencil, or paintbrush in

one direction across paper or canvas

l. change

m. powdery particles of wood produced by sawing

n. describe the distinctive features of

o. a white translucent material obtained by bleaching and

purifying beeswax and used for such purposes as making

candles, modelling, and as a basis of polishes

p. shrewdness

q. a very light and porous volcanic rock

r. make the surface of (something) smooth and shiny by

rubbing it

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1. Most quality varnish brushes and a number of quality wall brushes and sash tools

have edges on both sides.

2. Once the wood surface is prepared and stained, a number of coats of finish may

be applied, often sanding between coats. Commonly used wood finishes include

, shellac, drying oils (such as linseed oil or tung oil), lacquer,

varnish, or paint.

3. Wood finishing refers to the process of and/or protecting the

surface of a wooden material.

4. You may use steel wool in lieu of stone if none is available.

5. Lacquer spray paint dries extremely fast. You must work fast when spraying

painting. It looks best when you apply a generous coat of lacquer quickly in one

long movement. Moving quickly, start the next before the first one

starts to set and barely overlap the edges. If you want to take your time spray

painting, consider using a different type of spray paint.

6. Toluene is used in making paints, paint thinners, fingernail ,

lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing and leather tanning

processes.

7. The art of lacquer-painting is ancient, originating in China more than a thousand

years ago. The Vietnamese imported the centuries ago, but it was

mainly used for household and decorative items.

8. Vietnam's painting techniques and materials give its lacquer

paintings their special character.

9. Poppy-oil, when prepared in this manner, becomes, after some weeks,

exceedingly and colorless.

10. Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a

substrate in a thin layer is to an opaque solid film.

embellishingresin

convertedpumice

techniqueuniquechiselluster

limpidstrokepolishwax

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11. the of the lacquer tree (sn sng in Vietnam) is collected in

Phu Tho province, Vietnam's Northern Midlands.

12. Polishing gives a smooth black surface with a brilliant . The

lacquer often has between 10 and 20 layers.

III. VOCABULARY CHECK

A. Find in the text the noun of these word

1. hot

2. deep

3. careful

4. rich

5. modest

..

..

..

..

..

B. Find in the text the adjective of these word

1. disaster

2. truth

3. purity

4. difficulty

5. effect

6. success

7. harmony

8. religion

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

..

IV. Reading comprehension

A. True or false?

1. Lacquered items have been found in ancient tombs in Vietnam

dating as far back as the third and fifth centuries B.C.

2. Lacquer traditionally comes in three colors - brown, black and

red.

3. The painting is covered with a piece of cloth glued to it using the

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sap of the lacquer tree and then coated with a layer of the sap

mixed with earth.

4. The painter uses hot lacquer to draw the outline of a picture and

the colors are applied one by one, layer upon layer.

5. plant material ash, crushed eggshells, gold and silver are used in

lacquer painting.

6. The traditional lacquer process is simple and requires 75 to 115

days to complete each piece.

7. The resin used to make lacquer painting has rather extravagant

characteristics. To have it dry, it must be kept in cold.

8. The palette of lacquer painting includes only the color of

canhgian (cockroach wings), then (black), son (red), silver, gold

and aluminum.

9. Gold and silver must be pure gold and silver, which in the

present are difficult to obtain.

10. Nguyen Gia Tri is the best lacquer painter.


1. Where have lacquered items found in ancient tombs in Vietnam?

2. When was lacquered items first found in ancient tombs in Vietnam?

3. What colours does lacquer traditionally comes in?

4. What does the painter use to draw the outline of a picture?

5. How does the painters apply the colors?

6. What is the last thing the painter have to do with a lacquer painting?

7. How long does the traditional lacquer process requires to complete each piece?

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8. What characteristics does the resin used to make lacquer painting have?

9. Who is the famous artist in lacquer painting?

V. Translate these sentences into English

1. Tranh sn mi s dng cc vt liu mu truyn thng ca ngh sn nh sn then,

sn cnh gin lm cht kt dnh, cng cc loi son, bc thp, vng thp, v trai,

v.v. v trn nn vc mu en.

2. u thp nin 1930, nhng ha s Vit Nam u tin hc ti trng M thut

ng Dng tm ti pht hin thm cc vt liu mu khc nh v trng, c,

ct tre, v.v. v c bit a k thut mi vo to nn k thut sn mi c o

sng tc nhng bc tranh sn mi thc s.

3. Trc thp nin 1930, ngi ta ch dng sn ta trong trang tr th cng, lm

hng m ngh.

4. Vo thi gian ny, mt s ha s Vit Nam u tin ang hc nh Trn Quang

Trn, Nguyn Gia Tr, Phm Hu, Nguyn Khang, Trn Vn Cn v ngh nhn

inh Vn Thnh mnh dn th nghim a k thut sn ta vo lm tranh

ngh thut.

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FAMOUS VIETNAMESE LACQUER PAINTINGS

The Spring in Vietnam,Dang Tin Tuong

Tt nc ng chim. 1985. Trn Vn Cn

Nguyn Gia Tr Nguyn Gia Tr

Nguyn Gia Tr Nguyn Gia Tr

Bn m sen Nguyn Gia Tr

"m" Nguyn Gia Tr

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"Cnh qu", 1940 Nguyn Gia Tr

Nguyn Gia Tr

Cha Thin M ca Nguyn Gia Tr

"m ci nh qu"

"Ma di trng"

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UNIT 5: NG H PAINTING (TRANH NG H)

INTRODUCTION

Ho painting (Vietnamese:

Tranh ng H or Tranh lng H),

full name Dong Ho folk woodcut

painting (Tranh khc g dn gian

ng H) is a genre of Vietnamese

woodcut paintings originated from

Dong Ho village (lng ng H) in

Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam. Using

the traditional ip paper and

The black-and-white m ci chut (rat wedding)

colours derived from nature, craftsmen print Dong Ho pictures of different themes

from good luck wishes, historical figures to everyday activities and folk allegories. In

the past, Dong Ho painting was an essential element of the Tt holiday in Vietnam;

this tradition has gradually declined under the influence of modern types of painting

and fake Dong Ho products. However, the art of making Dong Ho pictures is always

considered a symbol of traditional culture and aesthetic value of Vietnam.

HISTORY

According to the villagers, the making of Dong Ho painting was dated back

to the 11th century during the reign of the L Dynasty while researchers propose

that craftsmen began to print pictures in Dong Ho village during the rule of L Knh

Tng (16001619) of the L Dynasty. In the dynastic time, Dong Ho village is one

of the few place which had the tradition of making folk painting, along with Hang

Trong, Kim Hoang and Sinh village. Originally, Dong Ho painting was made only

1. What do you know about Dong Ho painting?

2. Why is it famous?

3. When do people often buy Dong Ho paintings?

5. How do people make Dong Ho paintings?

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with black-and-white prints of woodcut but from the 15th century, different colours

were introduced by craftsmen in the village. As a village specialized in making

woodcuts and paintings, almost all Dong Ho villagers were involved in the

manufacture of paintings from carving the wood block, producing ip papers,

obtaining natural colours to creating new themes and printing.

Traditionally, Dong Ho painting was an essential element in each Vietnamese

family during the Tt holiday. The colourful tone and optimist content of the image

livened up the house and the picture was considered a good luck sign for the family

in the new year, thus Dong Ho painting had other names like Tt painting (tranh Tt)

or Spring painting (tranh Xun). Before 1945, there were over 150 families in Dong

Ho village making pictures. However, the tradition fades rapidly under the

dominance of modern life in Vietnam and Dong Ho pictures gradually disappear in

Vietnamese families during the Tt holiday. The principal buyer of Dong Ho

painting today is tourists who are interested in traditional art, therefore the villagers

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