Unlocking Word
Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in
today’s article.
1. depict
(v.) [dih-pikt] – to describe or show something in a picture, painting or
sculpture
Example: My grandmother’s painting depicted
her happy life before the war broke out.
2. make
a name for oneself (idiom) [meyk uh neym fawr wuhn-self] – to achieve distinction or to become
well-known
Example: It takes patience and perseverance to
make a name for oneself in the law profession.
3. acquaintance
(n.) [uh-kweyn-tns] – a relationship that is not very intimate or close
Example: I saw a college acquaintance
yesterday at the office.
4.
renowned (adj.) [ri-nound] – famous and well known for skills and expertise
Example: Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti is
renowned for his powerful tenor voice.
5. propaganda
(n.) [prop-uh-gan-duh] – information used to promote a policy, idea, or cause
Example: The city environment office made TV
advertisement as propaganda on proper waste disposal.
Article
Read the text below.
The Pola Museum of Art in Hakone recently
received 37 paintings of Japanese artist Leonard Foujita from a private
collector whose nationality remains undisclosed. The museum spokeswoman Yurika Hirata said
that the artworks were unknown to them until they were given as gifts.
The oil paintings are said to have been painted
between 1956 and 1958. Some of the works show children doing various work
such as cleaning and cooking, while others depict religious themes.
Foujita combines Japanese ink techniques and
western-style painting in his works. A noted cat lover, he is known for his
paintings of cats and naked women with skin as white as milk.
Born in Tokyo as Tsuguharu Fujita, he finished
his studies at the age of 24 at what is now the Tokyo National University of
Fine Arts and Music. He then moved to Paris where he made a name for himself before World War II. There, he met other
artists such as Modigliani and Isadora Duncan with whom he studied dance. He
was also an acquaintance of world-renowned painters Picasso and
Matisse.
He returned to Japan after his travels in South
America. While in his home country in
the 1930’s, he created propaganda
art for the military. Paris was known to be the center of Foujita's work in
his later years. However, some of his art pieces suggest that he also painted
in other countries.
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Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion
A
·
Are
there a lot of schools and institutions for the arts in your country?
·
Is
being an artist a famous career in your country these days?
Discussion
B
·
Does
your country support local artists? If yes, how?
·
Why
do you think that some artists move to other countries to pursue their works?