Besides many paintings of biblical scenes Rembrandt took themes from mythology. In Diana Bathing with her Nymphs, with the Stories of Acteon and Callisto, c. 1634, Rembrandt combined two stories taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In the Rape of Ganymede, of 1635, the artist shows how Jupiter, turned into an eagle, carries Ganymede off to Olympus, to place him later in the Heavens as one of the signs of the Zodiac, Aquarius.
Rembrandt was not understood in his own life-time. He died in poverty. But it is the spirituality of his art that distinguishes Rembrandt from his Dutch contemporaries and makes him the greatest artist of the world.
Make sure you know how to pronounce the following words:
Rembrandt; Leiden; Amsterdam; Metamorphoses; commandment; Sinai; Ovid; Pilate; Apocrypha; Abraham; pilgrimage; archangel; Aquarius; Jupiter
Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp – «Урок анатомии доктора Тулпа»
The Night Watch – «Ночной дозор»
The Polish Rider – «Польский всадник»
Return of the Prodigal Son – «Возвращение блудного сына»
Holy Family – «Святое семейство»
John the Baptist Preaching – «Проповедь Иоанна Кресги-теля»
Abraham, 's Sacrifice – «Жертвоприношение Авраама»
Moses Breaking the Tablets – «Моисей, разбивающий скрижали»
Christ Appearing to Mary Magdalen – «Явление Христа Марии Магдалине»
Rape of Ganymede – «Похищение Ганемеда»
Diana Bathing with her Nymphs, with the Stories of Act eon and Callisto -» Диана, купающаяся с нимфами»
Self-Portrait – «Автопортрет»
Suskia van Uylenburg – Саския ван Эйленборх
I. Read the text. Make sure you understand it. Mark the following statements true or false.
1. Rembrandt painted, engraved and drew more than eighty portraits and fifty self-portraits.
2. The Night Watch by Rembrandt was a traditional portrait of the citizen-soldiers in alignment.
3. Mystery dominates in the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp.
4. The Return of the Prodigal Son is a brilliant example of the highly imaginative Baroque painting.
5. In the Polish Rider the figure and his horse stand forth in a new sculptural grandeur.
6. Rembrandt was not fond of etching.
II. How well have you read? Can you answer the following questions?
1. What does Rembrandt's art remain to this day?
2. Was Rembrandt a master of portraiture? What portraits did he create? What are Rembrandt's best group portraits? What dominates in the Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp?
3. What is the subject of The Night Watch Were the commissioners satisfied with this Rembrandt's work of art? What did they expect? How are they depicted?
4. Why did Rembrandt begin to lose popularity as a portraitist?
5. What is the best example of Rembrandt's highly imaginative painting in the Baroque style? What is represented in this painting?
6. What did Rembrandt paint in 1655?
7. How is The Polish Rider interpreted? How is the youth portrayed? What technique did Rembrandt use in this painting?
8. What role did etching play in Rembrandt's production?
9. What does the Return of the Prodigal Son represent? When was it created? How is the painting interpreted?
10. What mythological paintings did Rembrandt execute?
11. What distinguishes Rembrandt from his contemporaries?
III. I. Give Russian equivalents of the following phrases:
a self-portrait; a study; a master of portraiture; to portray the subjects; a shoulder-length portrait; a half-length portrait; life-size pictures; group portraits; effective lightning; a narrative prose; an imaginative style; luminary effects; a parable; a technical freedom; unconventional painting; to lay on the impastos; a palette knife; to carve the pigments; to produce etchings; to surpass the predecessors: 'stone tablets'; colour and texture; rich tans and ochres; the encompassing dark; to gleam against the translucent glazed; spirituality of the art; the Ten Commandments.
II. Give English equivalents of the following phrases:
скрижали; прокуратор; библейская тема; окружающая чернота; мастихин; техника офорта; превзойти предшественников; законопослушный; создавать офорты; терять популярность; гамма красок; притча; наложение красок густым слоем; сюжетно-тематический; этюд; многочисленные произведения нетрадиционная живопись; изобразительный стиль; автопортрет; портрет во весь рост; поясной портрет; погрудный портрет; групповой портрет; Десять Заповедей.
III. Make up questions with the given phrases.
IV. Arrange the following in the pairs of synonyms.
a) carve; dim; various; theme; spiritual; law-abiding;
b) chisel; conventional; diverse; subject; dusky; religious.
IV. Insert the missing prepositions. Translate the text…
Saint Paul at his Writing-Desk, was painted by Rembrandt c. 1629/30. The pious Paul was a fervent opponent… the Christian religion… a journey to combat the Christians he was blinded and thrown… a supernatural power. This event changed Paul totally. The enemy… Christianity became Apostle: now he travelled to spread the Word. Here Rembrandt painted St Paul seated… his desk… the corner… a room. His left hand is illuminated… a light coming forth… the book… the desk. This book, and the sword hanging… the wall are the attributes… St. Paul. The sword refers… his beheading, while the book refers… his conversion.
V. Insert the articles whenever necessary. Translate the text…
Rembrandt's Belshazzar's Feast, was created in 1635… Babylonian king Belshazzar is celebrating with his nobles, wives and concubines. Everyone is drinking wine from… vessels stolen from… Temple in Jerusalem. Suddenly… divine hand appears and starts writing… strange script. Daniel was able to decipher… text: which reads, «Mene mene tekel ufarsin»… text in Hebrew letters foretold… death of Belshazzar and… end of his empire… Belshazzar's feast was a warning in… 17-th century usage: profane feasts always end in ruin. Here Rembrandt portrayed… dramatic moment. He was… master when it came to paint violent emotions.
VI. Here are descriptions of some of Rembrandt's works of art. Match them up to the given titles.
1. It is an allegory of the man's earth ly journey.
2. Mystery dominates in this painting, reminding the living of their own inevitable destiny.
3. The angel is taken from the sight into an open cloud.
4. The subject of the painting is the formation of the militia company for a parade.
5. This painting stands at the ultimate peak of Christian spirituality.
6. The text in Hebrew letters foretold the death.
a. Return of the Prodigal Son
b. Angel Leaving Tobit and Tobias