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Listen to an Academic Talk Test #014
Listen to an Academic Talk
1. What is the main subject of the talk?
A) The life of the artist Caravaggio
B) A method for creating drama in painting
C) The influence of Italian on art terms
D) Differences between painting and theater
2. According to the professor, what was a common characteristic of paintings before chiaroscuro?
A) They used very bright color palettes
B) Their subjects often lacked a sense of depth
C) They were mainly focused on landscapes
D) Their lighting was often harsh and direct
3. What does the professor imply about Caravaggio's paintings?
A) They are emotionally intense
B) They are difficult to understand
C) They were not popular in his time
D) They all tell religious stories
4. Why does the professor mention a spotlight?
A) To explain the origin of the word chiaroscuro
B) To suggest a flaw in the painting technique
C) To criticize the lighting in modern art
D) To help illustrate the effect of chiaroscuro
Professor: When we look at paintings from the Renaissance, we often notice a dramatic, almost theatrical quality to the lighting. A key technique behind this effect is known as chiaroscuro. The term comes from Italian—"chiaro" for light and "scuro" for dark.
It's the use of strong contrasts between light and shadow to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a two-dimensional surface. Before this, figures in paintings often looked flat and lacked depth.
An artist who mastered this was Caravaggio. In his works, he would often illuminate his subjects with a single, harsh light source, almost like a spotlight, while the background remained in deep shadow.
This technique does more than just model form; it creates a powerful mood and directs the viewer's eye to the most important part of the painting, heightening the emotional drama of the scene.
It's the use of strong contrasts between light and shadow to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a two-dimensional surface. Before this, figures in paintings often looked flat and lacked depth.
An artist who mastered this was Caravaggio. In his works, he would often illuminate his subjects with a single, harsh light source, almost like a spotlight, while the background remained in deep shadow.
This technique does more than just model form; it creates a powerful mood and directs the viewer's eye to the most important part of the painting, heightening the emotional drama of the scene.
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