Curriculum extra Unit 8
Focus on Art: Modernism
1 Label the picture with the words.
abstract canvas landscape portrait still life
2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of
the words from exercise 1.
1 Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh
painted over 30 self-____________? He
used a mirror to study his face. There’s a
famous one where he’s got a bandage on
his ear.
2 It says in the guidebook that Claude Monet
‘rejected traditional ways of painting
scenery. Instead, his ____________ show
variations of colour and light during
different seasons’.
3 Sorry, but I just don’t understand
____________ art. All these lines and
shapes do nothing for me.
4 I’m so excited about the Jackson Pollack
exhibition! Last term we did some drip
painting for our school art project. You
flick, drip or pour paint onto a
____________, just like he did.
5 And as you can see, this painting contains
typical ____________ subjects: a drinking
glass, a book and a vase with flowers.
3 Read the information about Impressionism on
the mind map. Then copy the mind map and do
research to complete it.
Impressionism
When: late 19th and early 20th Fauvism
century Surrealism
Where: origins in Paris
Cubism
What: style of painting which
tried to capture the effects of Modernism in Art
the moment, especially the
effects of light and colour Dadaism
Who: Claude Monet,
Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Expressionism
Edgar Degas
4 Work in small groups. Choose a movement from
the mind map or an important painting from
Modernism. Research it and present it to the
class. Use these phrases to help you.
Talking about an art movement
The movement we have chosen to talk about is … .
It began in … . / It has its origins in … .
It is a style that … . / It is characterised by … .
Some of the most important artists / works of art in
this movement were … .
Describing a painting
We have chosen to talk about … , which is a portrait
/ landscape / still life, etc. by … .
The painting shows … / In the upper / lower / left /
right / central part of the painting, you can see … .
It was painted on … / The artist has mainly used … .
The use of colour / light / perspective, etc. is very
interesting because … .
It makes the viewer feel … .
I like / dislike this painting because … .