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КАТЕГОРИИ:






Raphael Masterpieces in Russian Museums




Five hundred years ago a man was born in the small Italian town of Urbino, in the family of the artist and poet flamed Giovanni Santi. His contribution to the glory of Italy is revered the world over.

There are two Raphael paintings in this country, both in the Hermitage of St Petersburg. They are "The Conestabile Madonna", one of the artist's earliest works, and "The Holy Family" (or "Madonna with the Beardless Joseph") painted tin Florence in 1306. The latter was bought in Paris in 1772 together with other works from the collection of Baron C. de Thiers: the Empress Catherine II decided to establish the art gallery which would show Europe that an "enlightlened absolutism" epoch had begun in Russia, and that from now on it could rival any other European state in the glamour of its culture.

Almost 100 years later Raphael's Madonna was bought for the Winter Palace from Count Conestabile in Perugia and it kept the name of its former owner. The almost ten-year stay in Moscow of the "Sistine Madonna", the first painting in world art makes a separate story in the history of Raphael's masterpieces.

Before Berlin was surrendered in 1945, the nazies had hidden the Dresden Gallery treasures in a stone quarry and mined it. Risking their lives our soldiers saved the collection but it was a pity to look at it. The great masters' works were soaked with water. Leaving them in Germany like that meant allowing them to perish. So they were sent to our museums for restoration and preservation. The work went on for over ten years. Before they were returned to Dresden it was suggested that they should be put on show in Moscow. The "Sistine Madonna" occupied the central place in the exposition. About 1.5 million people visited the exhibition during the four months it was open.

 

Questions for discussion:

 

1. Why was it decided to establish an art gallery in Russia?

2. Why do we say that Raphael's "Sistine Madonna" makes a separate story in the history of Raphael's masterpieces?

3. The Great Patriotic War seriously influenced the Russian collection of paintings, didn’t it? Prove your point of view.

4. Is it correctly to say that Raphael's contribution to the glory of Italy as well as of Russia is revered the world over?

 

 

Why Do We Smile?

Why do we smile? That question usually brings the puzzled frowns to many scientists who try to discover the elusive origins of grin. It's not easy to trace the evolution of a smile because, unlike teeth or bones, facial expressions cannot be preserved through the centuries. Comparing similar behaviours of different species, scientists have come up with a rather noveltheory.

John J. Ohala, professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, holds that our smile is directly descended from the animal world: animals use the smile not because of the way it looks but because of the way it sounds.

The smile, Ohala asserts, can modify the sound of an accompanying cry. That is, by pulling back the corners of the mouth and baring the teeth, certain animals are able to emit a whineor yelp that is higher in pitch than the sound they normally produce. Ohala similarly theorizes that the frown can be traced to a reversal of the smile procedure as when an animal constricts the corners of its month to produce a low-pitched growl. Such puckering of the lips make the growl sound as if it comes from a much larger individual, thus helping to intimidate an opponent.

By now, the smile and the frown have become essential tools of communication among humans. The smile is embellished with all kinds of meanings. It is one of the few communication signals that is universal. It is maintained not culturally, but genetically.

 

Questions for discussion:

 

1. Is it easy to trace the evolution of a smile?

2. What theory have scientists come up with comparing similar behaviours of different species?

3. Why according to John J. Ohala the smile is used not because of the way it looks but because of the way it sounds?

4. Can frown be traced to a reversal of the smile procedure?

5. Why do we scientists say that the smile and the frown have become essential tools of communication among humans?

 






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