English Vocabulary in Use Advanced - Unit 21: The Visual Arts | Quizlet

Impressionism

a style of painting, which began in France in the 1860s, in which the artist tries to represent the effects of light on an object, person, area of countryside, etc.

Cubism

a style of modern art in which an object or person is shown as a set of geometric shapes and as if seen from many different angles at the same time

Surrealism

a type of 20th-century art and literature in which unusual or impossible things are shown happening

op art

a type of modern art that uses patterns that do not exist naturally in order to create images that appear to move or to be something that they are not

daub

(v) to spread a thick or sticky liquid on something or to cover something with a thick or sticky liquid, often quickly or carelessly:

The walls had been ...ed with graffiti.

(n) an area of thick or sticky liquid on something:

a ... of red paint

a badly painted picture

deem

(formal)

to consider or judge something in a particular way:

[ + obj + noun/adj ] The area has now been ...ed safe.

[ + noun/adj ] We will provide help whenever you ... it appropriate.

[ + obj + to infinitive ] Anyone not paying the registration fee by 31 March will be ...ed to have withdrawn from the offer.

subject matter

the things that are being talked or written about, or used as the subject of a piece of art, etc.:

The ... ... of the documentary was not really suitable for children.

school of art

a group of painters, etc. whose work is similar, especially similar to that of a particular leader:

the Flemish School

the Impressionist school of painting

visually literate

educated with regard to art

become inured to smth

become familiar with it and able to accept and bear it:

After spending some time on the island they ... ... ... the hardships.

original

not the same as anything or anyone else and therefore special and interesting:

... ideas/suggestions/work

She's a highly ... young designer.

predictable

happening or behaving in a way that you expect and not unusual or interesting:

The ending to the film was just so ... .

highbrow

(of books, plays, etc.) involving serious and complicated or artistic ideas, or (of people) interested in serious and complicated subjects:

a ... intellectual

a film for ...s

middlebrow

Middlebrow music, literature, art, and films are of good quality, interesting, and often popular, but can be understood quite easily

lowbrow

(of literature, art, music, movies, or plays) not serious and intended for people who do not know much about these forms of art, or (of people) not intelligent and not knowing a lot about such things:

... tastes

... readers

impenetrable

impossible to understand:

Some of the lyrics on their latest album are completely ... .

transparent

clear and easy to understand or recognize:

I think we should try to make the instructions more ... .

sophisticated

having a good understanding of the way people behave and/or a good knowledge of culture and fashion:

I don't think I have any books that would suit your ... tastes.

He was older than me and from London and I thought him very ... .

primitive

of or typical of an early stage of development; not advanced or complicated in structure:

... art/tools

The pioneers who settled the west had to cope with ... living conditions.

challenging

difficult to deal with or achieve, especially in a way that forces you to prove your skill or determination to succeed:

undemanding

not needing a lot of time, energy, or attention:

He is quiet and ... .

a relatively ... job

dazzling

causing or likely to cause strong admiration:

A ...smile flashed across his face.

a ... performance

pedestrian

not interesting; showing very little imagination:

Her books, with few exceptions, are workmanlike but ... .

His speech was long and ....

evocative

making you remember or imagine something pleasant:

... music

a sound ... of the sea

uninspiring

not making you feel excited or interested:

The menu looked fairly ... .

thought-provoking

making you think a lot about a subject:

a ... book/film

unstimulating

not encouraging new ideas:

a ... discussion

exquisite

very beautiful and delicate:

an ... piece of china

Look at this ... painting.

clumsy

not skilful in the way you deal with or express something:

Her ... handling of the situation only made it worse.

My attempts to apologize were very ...

Some of the wording of the statement was a bit ... .

intriguing

very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious:

an ... possibility/question

She has a really ... personality.

dreary

unattractive and having nothing of any interest, and therefore likely to make you sad:

It was a gray, ... day, with periods of rain.

peerless

better than any other of its type:

... beauty/ability

run-of-the-mill

ordinary and not special or exciting in any way:

He gave a fairly ... speech.

tongue-in-cheek

intended to be understood as a joke, although you might appear to be serious:

He said that he was a huge fan of the president, although I suspect it was ... .

earnest

serious and determined, especially too serious and unable to find your own actions funny:

He was a very earnest young man.

These fanatics are in deadly ... when they say they want to destroy all forms of government.

priceless

used to describe something with such a high value that its price cannot be calculated, especially because it is rare:

a ... collection of modern works of art

worthless

unimportant or useless:

Examples of this artist’s early works remind me that he was not ..., as some reviewers seemed to feel.

skilful

done or made very well:

a ... piece of playing on the clarinet

shadowy

used to refer to someone or something about which little is known:

The English king, Arthur, is a somewhat ... figure who may not have even existed.

sketchy

containing few details:

So far we only have ... information about what caused the explosion.

mould

to try to change or influence someone:

He kept trying to ... me into something he wanted me to be.

motif

an idea that appears repeatedly in the work of an artist or in a piece of writing or music