The History of woodcarving.

The History of woodcarving has from the remotest ages the decoration of wood as a foremost art. The tendency of human nature has always been to ornament every article in use. The North American Indian carves his wooden fishhook or his pipe stem just as the Polynesian works patterns on his paddle. The native of Guyana decorates his canvass grater with a well-conceived scheme of incised scrolls, while the native of Loango Bay distorts his spoon with a design of perhaps figures standing up in full relief carrying a hammock.

Figure-work seems to have been universal. To carve a figure in wood may be not only more difficult but also less satisfactory than sculpting with marble, owing to the tendency of wood to crack, to be damaged by insects, or to suffer from changes in the atmosphere. The texture of the material, too, often proves challenging to the expression of features, especially in the classic type of youthful face. On the other hand, magnificent examples exist of the more rugged features of age: the beetling brows, the furrows and lines neutralizing the defects of the grain of the wood. In ancient work the surface may not have been of such consequence, for figures as a rule being painted for protection and especially color.

It is not always realized at the present day to what extent color has even from the most ancient times been used to enhance the effect of woodcarving and sculpture. The modern Colour prejudice against gold and other tints is perhaps because painted work has been vulgarized. The arrangement of a proper and harmonious scheme of colour is not the work of the house painter, but of the specially trained artist.

In the early 20th century, the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, on which much of this entry is based, commented, "Of late years carving has gone out of fashion. The work is necessarily slow and requires substantial skill, making the works expensive. Other and cheaper methods of decoration have driven carving from its former place. Machine work has much to answer for, and the endeavor to popularize the craft by means of the village class has not always achieved its own end. The gradual disappearance of the individual artist, elbowed out as he has been, by the contractor, is fatal to the continuance of an art which can never flourish when done at so much a yard." This statement has proven untrue, as the continued survival of the art and craft of woodcarving can be demonstrated by the large number of woodcarvers who have carried on or advanced the tradition in different parts of the world.

Exercise 2. Give the Russian or Kazakh equivalents of the sentences.

Ø The tendency of human nature has always been to ornament every article in use.

Ø Figure-work seems to have been universal.

Ø The texture of the material, too, often proves challenging to the expression of features, especially in the classic type of youthful face.

Ø It is not always realized at the present day to what extent color has even from the most ancient times been used to enhance the effect of wood-carving and sculpture.

Ø The arrangement of a proper and harmonious scheme of colour is not the work of the house painter, but of the specially trained artist.

Ø The work is necessarily slow and requires substantial skill, making the works expensive.

Ø Machine work has much to answer for, and the endeavor to popularize the craft by means of the village class has not always achieved its own end.

Ø The gradual disappearance of the individual artist, elbowed out as he has been, by the contractor, is fatal to the continuance of an art which can never flourish when done at so much a yard.

Ø This statement has proven untrue, as the continued survival of the art and craft of woodcarving can be demonstrated by the large number of woodcarvers who have carried on or advanced the tradition in different parts of the world.

Exercise 3. Mark the sentences true or false.

1. The History of wood carving has not the decoration of wood as a foremost art.

2. The North American Indian carves his wooden fish-hook or his pipe stem just as the Polynesian works patterns on his paddle.

3. The native of Guyana decorates his cavassa grater with a design of perhaps figures standing up in full relief carrying a hammock.

4. To carve a figure in wood may be not only more difficult but also less satisfactory thansculpting with marble, owing to the tendency of wood to crack, to be damaged by insects, or to suffer from changes in the atmosphere.

5. Magnificent examples exist of the less rugged features of age: the beetling brows, the furrows and lines neutralizing the defects of the grain of the wood.

6. In ancient work, the surface may not have been of such consequence, for figures as a rule being painted for protection and especially color.

7. The modern Colour prejudice against gold and other tints is perhaps because painted work has not been vulgarized.

Exercise 4. Complete the sentences without looking back to the text.

In the early 1________, the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, on which much of this entry is based, commented, "Of late years carving has gone 2________. The work is necessarily slow and requires 3________, making the works 4________. Other and cheaper methods of 5________ have driven carving from its former place. 6________ work has much to answer for, and the endeavor to popularize the craft by means 7________ class has not always achieved its own end. 8________ disappearance of the individual artist, elbowed out as he has been, by the 9________, is fatal to the continuance of an art which can never 10________ when done at so much a yard." This statement has proven 11________, as the continued survival of the art and craft of 12________ can be demonstrated by the large number of woodcarvers who 13________ or advanced the tradition in different parts of 14________.

Exercise 5. Give the English equivalents of these sentences.

a. В истории резьбы по дереву, с незапамятных времен, украшение древесины воспринималось в качестве передового искусства.

b. Северо-американский индеец вырезал свой ​​деревянный рыболовный крючок или свой ствол трубки так же, как полинезиец вырезает узоры на своем весле.

c. Уроженец Гайаны украшает свою терку для полотна с хорошо продуманной схемой надрезанных свитков, в то время как уроженец залива Лоанго искажает свою ложку рисунком, возможно, фигур, стоящих в полном облегчении передавая гамак.

d. Вырезание фигуры из дерева может быть не только сложнее, но и менее удовлетворительным по сравнению с лепкой скульптур из мрамора, в связи с тенденцией дерева ломаться, повреждаться от насекомых, или страдать от изменений в атмосфере.

e. Существуют ввеликолепные примеры от более грубых черт возраста: нависшие брови, борозды и линии нейтрализующие дефекты волокон древесины.

f. В древней работе, возможно не было как таковых последовательных правил в закрашивании поверхности фигур для защиты, либо в особенности для цвета.

g. Современное предубеждение о цвете против золота и других оттенков, пожалуй существует потому, что окрашенная работа считалась обыкновенной.

Exercise 6. Look at the pictures and tell your opinion about them to your partner.

GRAMMAR [5]

Не нашли, что искали? Воспользуйтесь поиском: