新标准大学英语三unit3

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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The mystery of Girl with a Pearl Earring1

he painting Girl with a Pearl Earring is one of the greatest works by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, and one of the best loved paintings in the world. It shows a striking young woman wearing an exotic costume and a turban, peering over her shoulder straight out at the viewer. Set against a dark and unspecified background, our eyes are drawn to her pearl earring, the focal point of the painting.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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But after more than a century of study, the work poses some fascinating questions. Who is the young woman? Is the painting a portrait of a real person, or a sitter representing more general attributes of womanhood? How old is she meant to be? Is the pearl real? What's the significance of the turban? What is she thinking as she stares out at us?

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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In general, very little is known about Vermeer. We know he was born in 1632, spent his entire life in Delft, and died in 1675. We know his work includes paintings of religious and mythological themes, domestic interiors and landscapes. He never seems to have been wealthy, perhaps because he produced relatively few paintings.

His other well-known works include Girl Reading a Letter at an Open

Window, and Woman with Water Jug.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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We also know that although he came from a Protestant family, he married a Catholic girl Catharina, who insisted that he convert to Catholicism before they married and had 14 children. 4 As far as the Girl with a Pearl Earring is concerned, it seems that it wasn't meant to be a portrait, but a study of expressions, facial characteristics or other interesting features. It's true that the girl's face would probably not be considered beautiful in a conventional sense. If it had been a portrait, a painter would have worked harder to convey the sitter's beauty, even if it meant slightly distorting the truth! This kind of study was popular in Holland at the time, and would have been easy to sell.3

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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We don't know, however, if this painting was ever sold during Vermeer's lifetime. We don't even know if it was commissioned by Vermeer's patron, van Ruijven. If so, the model might have been one of his daughters who was about the same age as the sitter. We know less about the Girl with the Pearl Earring than any of Vermeer's works. Indeed, the unexplainable lack of background information may even contribute to the worldwide popularity the painting enjoys.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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With so much mystery, the painting has been the theme of first, a novel and later, a film, both of which attempt to answer some of the questions about the painting, as well as one, which is immediately more appropriate to the medium of the novel or the film: Are her wide eyes and enigmatic half-smile innocent or seductive?5

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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Tracy Chevalier's novel, published in 1999, tells us the story of Griet, a 16-year-old Dutch girl who needs to start work in order to support her family. She becomes a maid in Vermeer's household, with its five children,

grandmother, a long-time servant, and Catharina, Vermeer's volatile wife. While Griet goes about her duties, she attracts the attention not only of a butcher's boy, Pieter, but also of the painter himself. Despite their different backgrounds and class, he invites her into his studio and engages her in his world.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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At first Griet merely runs errands and performs tasks for Vermeer. But gradually, his relationship with her changes. Vermeer recognizes Griet as having visual talent and artistic promise, and takes her on as his studio assistant. Griet is wary of her position in the Vermeer household but revels in being encouraged to develop her skills.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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Her role is to grind paints and develop the colours which Vermeer will use for his paintings and when a model falls ill, she takes her place. Catharina has long been forbidden to enter the studio, so the apprenticeship takes place in secret. Griet and Vermeer grow closer, although their feelings are never stated explicitly.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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But then Vermeer's patron, the wealthy van Ruijven, who is attracted by Griet, insists that the maid and he be the subjects of Vermeer's next commissioned work. Griet and Vermeer are reluctant to agree because of her strict modesty and the scandal caused by the last occasion van Ruijven was painted with a young woman. Eventually, Vermeer compromises and agrees to paint Griet on her own, wearing Catharina's pearl earrings. But while he is painting her, Vermeer sees Griet's hair, which takes some of her modesty away and, deeply embarrassed, she runs to Pieter for comfort.

新标准大学英语三unit3 第二篇文章 课件

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One day Vermeer's daughter discovers that Griet has been modelling for her father, and tells her mother. Filled with jealousy, Catharina storms into the studio and demands to see the painting. Griet is embarrassed when Vermeer accuses Catharina of not understanding art, and decides to leave the Vermeer household.

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Ten years later we understand that Griet has married Pieter, and has had children with him. In the meantime, Vermeer has died and in his will, has left the earrings to Griet. She sells them to settle the debt due to the Verm …… 此处隐藏：4901字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……