CHAPTER SIX Reading Page 95&96
An exhibition of some of the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh
will open at the Cultural Centre next week.
Here art critic Lawrence Liu reviews Van Gogh's life and work.
THE VINCENT VAN GOGH EXHIBITION:DON'T MISS IT!
Van Gogh is probably the world's most famous painter.
Does he deserve such a reputation?
In 1990 a Japanese businessman paid US $82 million(a world record)
for one of his works.
That might have made him laugh.
In fact,it would probably make him sad and angry.
He wanted people to see his paintings,not to lock them inside bank buildings.
Certainly,he was not a success in his lifetime.
Although he produced more than 800 paintings,he sold only one,
for about US$80.No gallery showed his work during his life.
Few people had heard of him.
After his death in 1890,his fame developed slowly,but never stopped growing.
He was born in the Netherlands in 1853,the son of a priest.
As a young man,he tried many different jobs.
He worked in an art dealer's company,but disliked it,and left.
He went to England,and became a language teacher.
But he was always looking for some deeper purpose in his life.
Next,he turned to religion.He worked as a missionary among the poor in Belgium,
but quarrelled with his superiors,and abandoned that career.
Finally,he decided to become a painter.
For the rest of his life,
he depended on the financial support of his brother Theo,
the only person who believed in Van Gogh's ability.
For ten years,from 1880 to 1890,Van Gogh produced his best paintings,
until,sadly,he took his own life.
It would be easy to say that he was mad.
He was a difficult man,arguing with many people.
After one quarrel,in late 1888,
he was so upset that he cut off part of his own ear,and gave it to a young girl.
It is impossible to know what he was thinking then.
We definitely know that he spent a year in a mental hospital,from 1889090.
And yet,for most of this time he was completely sane.
We know this because he wrote hundreds of letters to The
expressing his ideas and his work,
and these letters show the clarity of his thinking.
But to return to the question I raised earlier:
yes,in my opinion,he deserves the fame he nowpossesses.
I certainly admire his work tremendously.
His paintings are realistic,not abstract.
And yet they are not like photographs.
His style is rough,and he paints with bright colours and thick strokes.
The strong feelings inside his head are visible in his paintings,
even when his subjects are flowers,trees or the sky.
They are paintings full of powerful,honest emotions,
the emotions which finally killed him.
We are undoubtedly lucky to have the chance to view these masterpieces.
Van Gogh exhibitions are very rare.
Thousands of people will want to come to this the cultural event of the decade.
You may have to spend hours in the queue,but don't miss this chance.
The paintings might not come this way again for many years.
INTEGRATED SKILLS Page 100
Combining information
(2)A Listen to the conversation.
B.Listen to a conversation.
SPEAKING page 105
A Giving your opinion
When you are giving your opinion about something,
think,carefully and give your ideas in a sensible way.
Here are some useful words and phrases that you can use:
Introducing you opinion
I think/believe/feel that.Personally,
I.It seems to me that.In my opinion,.In my view,
.Referring to other people's opinionsSome people think/believe/feel that.
A few/Many people.It is said that.
Agreeing and disagreeing
Yes,I(strongly)agree with you/that idea.
I'm sorry,I don't really agree.
TERM PROGRESS FILE
A Listening
B.Listening