TF阅读真题第890篇Equestrian Portraits in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

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2024-06-18

2024-09-28

2025-02-22

Equestrian Portraits in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries

 

 

It was common for European rulers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to be depicted in equestrian portraits, showing those rulers sitting on a horse. Two such artworks are Etienne Maurice Falconet’s 1782 sculpture of the Russian ruler Peter the Great (died 1725) and Jacques-Louis David’s painting of the French general (and later emperor) Napoleon (1800). These portraits promoted carefully crafted ideas about their subjects. Surmounting a 1,350-ton boulder, Falconet’s bronze sculpture Peter the Great was a suitable monument to the ruler who oriented Russia toward European culture by building a new capital, St. Petersburg, on the western shore of Russia. Peter the Great serenely commands a rearing horse, beneath whose hooves the serpent of evil is about to be crushed. Falconet adopted the equestrian formula to equate Peter’s greatness with that of ancient Roman emperors (although, as described below, Falconet attempted to show that Peter was a more enlightened ruler).

The status of equestrian portraiture can be traced to the famous second-century monument of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Rome-the only surviving equestrian monument from ancient times, saved only because after the fall of the Roman Empire, people assumed that it represented the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Since then, there was a steady production of equestrian monuments, with kings, emperors, noblemen, and even important military leaders having their portraits astride a horse either sculpted or painted. Falconet deviated from convention in several ways. He chose an innovative rising-up pose for the horse and gave it a naturalistic character by placing it so that it appears to ascend a steep mountain. He also chose a purposely neutral cape (sleeveless garment) to avoid associations with Roman emperors, military leaders, or even Russia. Instead, Falconet wanted to emphasize Peter’s identity as “a builder, a legislator, a benefactor of his country,”a progressive ruler rather than a conqueror ruling with absolute control.

The painter Jacques-Louis David in Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass (1800) glorified a historical moment during Napoleon’s Italian war of 1800， when the general led troops through a dangerous mountain pass on the way to victory over the Austrians. The portrait was intended to provide the French public with a reassuring icon of control after the turmoil of the French Revolution. Aware of the urgent need to establish the legitimacy of Napoleon’s regime-he came to power through a series of cleverly manipulated elections-David created a legacy that associated Napoleon with the only two previous historical figures capable enough to lead armies over the St. Bernard Pass in the Alps (mountains in Europe): Charlemagne, who united Western Europe under the Holy Roman Empire in 800 and the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who crossed the Alps with elephants during the Punic Wars with Rome in 218 B.C.E. and fought determinedly against Roman legions for 15 years. Their names are inscribed on the rock beneath the uplifting hooves of the horse, which Napoleon controls with the calm grandeur of a born leader. Here, David suggests that for Napoleon, no obstacle is insurmountable, no goal unattainable. Being true to historical fact did not really concern artists until the advent of the artistic movement of Realism in the 1840s, and it was then that the painter Paul Delaroche candidly represented Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1850) as it actually happened, with the general astride a sure-footed brown mule, led by a local peasant. The contrast in David’s and Delaroche’s images demonstrates how propagandistic intentions-distorting the truth to influence public opinion-steered the course of historical painting until well into the nineteenth century and also the extent to which truth can be manipulated in an image presumed to depict an event from history.

The French Academy of Fine Arts, which had largely controlled French art for centuries, forbade the representation of contemporary history in contemporary dress. David’s Napoleon, in which Napoleon was dressed in a uniform from one of his own past battles, violates this boundary, inaugurating a practice of artistic rebellion that undermined the influence of the Academy over the next century. The unconventional character of David’s Napoleon contrasts with the near-contemporary equestrian monument (1806) to Emperor Joseph Il, who ruled Austria at the time. Reflecting Austrian art’s conservative tendencies, sculptor Franz Zauner portrayed Joseph Il in a Roman emperor’s clothes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

It was common for European rulers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to be depicted in equestrian portraits, showing those rulers sitting on a horse. Two such artworks are Etienne Maurice Falconet’s 1782 sculpture of the Russian ruler Peter the Great (died 1725) and Jacques-Louis David’s painting of the French general (and later emperor) Napoleon (1800). These portraits promoted carefully crafted ideas about their subjects. Surmounting a 1,350-ton boulder, Falconet’s bronze sculpture Peter the Great was a suitable monument to the ruler who oriented Russia toward European culture by building a new capital, St. Petersburg, on the western shore of Russia. Peter the Great serenely commands a rearing horse, beneath whose hooves the serpent of evil is about to be crushed. Falconet adopted the equestrian formula to equate Peter’s greatness with that of ancient Roman emperors (although, as described below, Falconet attempted to show that Peter was a more enlightened ruler).

The word “suitable’ in the passage is closest in meaning to

Vocabulary Questions词汇题

AAppropriate

BRemarkable

Clasting

Denormous

 

2

It was common for European rulers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to be depicted in equestrian portraits, showing those rulers sitting on a horse. Two such artworks are Etienne Maurice Falconet’s 1782 sculpture of the Russian ruler Peter the Great (died 1725) and Jacques-Louis David’s painting of the French general (and later emperor) Napoleon (1800). These portraits promoted carefully crafted ideas about their subjects. Surmounting a 1,350-ton boulder, Falconet’s bronze sculpture Peter the Great was a suitable monument to the ruler who oriented Russia toward European culture by building a new capital, St. Petersburg, on the western shore of Russia. Peter the Great serenely commands a rearing horse, beneath whose hooves the serpent of evil is about to be crushed. Falconet adopted the equestrian formula to equate Peter’s greatness with that of ancient Roman emperors (although, as described below, Falconet attempted to show that Peter was a more enlightened ruler).

According to paragraph 1, one of the ideas about Peter the Great promoted by Falconet’s monument of him was that

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

APeter the Great had calmed the political tensions between Russia and Europe

BPeter the Great was wise to build the new capital in St. Petersburg

CPeter the Great would protect people from harm in a peaceful way

DPeter the Great’s achievements were as great as those of ancient Roman emperors

 

3

The status of equestrian portraiture can be traced to the famous second-century monument of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Rome-the only surviving equestrian monument from ancient times, saved only because after the fall of the Roman Empire, people assumed that it represented the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Since then, there was a steady production of equestrian monuments, with kings, emperors, noblemen, and even important military leaders having their portraits astride a horse either sculpted or painted. Falconet deviated from convention in several ways. He chose an innovative rising-up pose for the horse and gave it a naturalistic character by placing it so that it appears to ascend a steep mountain. He also chose a purposely neutral cape (sleeveless garment) to avoid associations with Roman emperors, military leaders, or even Russia. Instead, Falconet wanted to emphasize Peter’s identity as “a builder, a legislator, a benefactor of his country,”a progressive ruler rather than a conqueror ruling with absolute control.

Which of the following can be inferred about the monument of Emperor Marcus Aurelius discussed in paragraph 2?

Inference Questions推理题

AIt was saved because of efforts made by Emperor Constantine.

BIt is the oldest existing example of equestrian portraiture.

CIt depicts the first Christian emperor of Rome.

DIt is the only known depiction of Marcus Aurelius.

4

The status of equestrian portraiture can be traced to the famous second-century monument of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Rome-the only surviving equestrian monument from ancient times, saved only because after the fall of the Roman Empire, people assumed that it represented the first Christian emperor, Constantine. Since then, there was a steady production of equestrian monuments, with kings, emperors, noblemen, and even important military leaders having their portraits astride a horse either sculpted or painted. Falconet deviated from convention in several ways. He chose an innovative rising-up pose for the horse and gave it a naturalistic character by placing it so that it appears to ascend a steep mountain. He also chose a purposely neutral cape (sleeveless garment) to avoid associations with Roman emperors, military leaders, or even Russia. Instead, Falconet wanted to emphasize Peter’s identity as “a builder, a legislator, a benefactor of his country,”a progressive ruler rather than a conqueror ruling with absolute control.

According to paragraph 2, which TWO of the following are true of Falconet’s Peter the Great ? To receive credit, you must select TWO answers.

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

Select 2 answers

AIt was based on an earlier painting of Peter the Great.

BThe front legs of the horse are not painted in a realistic way.

CThe horse looks like it is traveling up a mountain.

DPeter the Great’s clothing is not specific to a country or an occupation.

 

5

The painter Jacques-Louis David in Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass (1800) glorified a historical moment during Napoleon’s Italian war of 1800， when the general led troops through a dangerous mountain pass on the way to victory over the Austrians. The portrait was intended to provide the French public with a reassuring icon of control after the turmoil of the French Revolution. Aware of the urgent need to establish the legitimacy of Napoleon’s regime-he came to power through a series of cleverly manipulated elections-David created a legacy that associated Napoleon with the only two previous historical figures capable enough to lead armies over the St. Bernard Pass in the Alps (mountains in Europe): Charlemagne, who united Western Europe under the Holy Roman Empire in 800 and the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who crossed the Alps with elephants during the Punic Wars with Rome in 218 B.C.E. and fought determinedly against Roman legions for 15 years. Their names are inscribed on the rock beneath the uplifting hooves of the horse, which Napoleon controls with the calm grandeur of a born leader. Here, David suggests that for Napoleon, no obstacle is insurmountable, no goal unattainable. Being true to historical fact did not really concern artists until the advent of the artistic movement of Realism in the 1840s, and it was then that the painter Paul Delaroche candidly represented Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1850) as it actually happened, with the general astride a sure-footed brown mule, led by a local peasant. The contrast in David’s and Delaroche’s images demonstrates how propagandistic intentions-distorting the truth to influence public opinion-steered the course of historical painting until well into the nineteenth century and also the extent to which truth can be manipulated in an image presumed to depict an event from history.

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

Sentence Simplification Questions句子简化题

ADavid was aware that, in addition to Napoleon, just two previous historical figures, Charlemagne and Hannibal, had been capable enough to lead armies over the Alps while fighting wars.

BAware of the urgent need to establish legitimacy for his own regime, Napoleon led armies over the Alps, as the Holy Roman Empire leader Charlemagne and the Carthaginian general Hannibal had done.

CIn his painting David tried to legitimize Napoleon’s regime by associating him with Charlemagne and Hannibal, the only previous leaders to successfully lead armies over the St. Bernard Pass

DDavid’s painting helped shape the legacy of Napoleon by suggesting his superiority to past rulers such as Charlemagne, who united Western Europe in 800, and Hannibal, who fought determinedly against Roman legions for 15 years.

 

6

The painter Jacques-Louis David in Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass (1800) glorified a historical moment during Napoleon’s Italian war of 1800， when the general led troops through a dangerous mountain pass on the way to victory over the Austrians. The portrait was intended to provide the French public with a reassuring icon of control after the turmoil of the French Revolution. Aware of the urgent need to establish the legitimacy of Napoleon’s regime-he came to power through a series of cleverly manipulated elections-David created a legacy that associated Napoleon with the only two previous historical figures capable enough to lead armies over the St. Bernard Pass in the Alps (mountains in Europe): Charlemagne, who united Western Europe under the Holy Roman Empire in 800 and the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who crossed the Alps with elephants during the Punic Wars with Rome in 218 B.C.E. and fought determinedly against Roman legions for 15 years. Their names are inscribed on the rock beneath the uplifting hooves of the horse, which Napoleon controls with the calm grandeur of a born leader. Here, David suggests that for Napoleon, no obstacle is insurmountable, no goal unattainable. Being true to historical fact did not really concern artists until the advent of the artistic movement of Realism in the 1840s, and it was then that the painter Paul Delaroche candidly represented Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1850) as it actually happened, with the general astride a sure-footed brown mule, led by a local peasant. The contrast in David’s and Delaroche’s images demonstrates how propagandistic intentions-distorting the truth to influence public opinion-steered the course of historical painting until well into the nineteenth century and also the extent to which truth can be manipulated in an image presumed to depict an event from history.

The word ‘advent’ in the passage is closest in meaning to

Vocabulary Questions词汇题

APeriod

BArrival

Cacceptance

Dexpansion

 

7

The painter Jacques-Louis David in Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass (1800) glorified a historical moment during Napoleon’s Italian war of 1800， when the general led troops through a dangerous mountain pass on the way to victory over the Austrians. The portrait was intended to provide the French public with a reassuring icon of control after the turmoil of the French Revolution. Aware of the urgent need to establish the legitimacy of Napoleon’s regime-he came to power through a series of cleverly manipulated elections-David created a legacy that associated Napoleon with the only two previous historical figures capable enough to lead armies over the St. Bernard Pass in the Alps (mountains in Europe): Charlemagne, who united Western Europe under the Holy Roman Empire in 800 and the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who crossed the Alps with elephants during the Punic Wars with Rome in 218 B.C.E. and fought determinedly against Roman legions for 15 years. Their names are inscribed on the rock beneath the uplifting hooves of the horse, which Napoleon controls with the calm grandeur of a born leader. Here, David suggests that for Napoleon, no obstacle is insurmountable, no goal unattainable. Being true to historical fact did not really concern artists until the advent of the artistic movement of Realism in the 1840s, and it was then that the painter Paul Delaroche candidly represented Napoleon Crossing the Alps (1850) as it actually happened, with the general astride a sure-footed brown mule, led by a local peasant. The contrast in David’s and Delaroche’s images demonstrates how propagandistic intentions-distorting the truth to influence public opinion-steered the course of historical painting until well into the nineteenth century and also the extent to which truth can be manipulated in an image presumed to depict an event from history.

Why does the author describe Delaroche’s “Napoleon Crossing the Alps”?

Rhetorical Purpose Questions修辞目的题

ATo show that Napoleon was a popular subject of equestrian portraits in both the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries

BTo illustrate a change beginning in the mid-nineteenth century concerning how artists represented historical events

CTo provide an example of a work in which an artist distorted the truth for the purpose of influencing public opinion

DTo contrast Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass with a traditional example of equestrian portraiture

 

8

The French Academy of Fine Arts, which had largely controlled French art for centuries, forbade the representation of contemporary history in contemporary dress. David’s Napoleon, in which Napoleon was dressed in a uniform from one of his own past battles, violates this boundary, inaugurating a practice of artistic rebellion that undermined the influence of the Academy over the next century. The unconventional character of David’s Napoleon contrasts with the near-contemporary equestrian monument (1806) to Emperor Joseph Il, who ruled Austria at the time. Reflecting Austrian art’s conservative tendencies, sculptor Franz Zauner portrayed Joseph Il in a Roman emperor’s clothes.

According to paragraph 4, which of the following helped weaken the influence of the French Academy of Fine Arts?

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

AThe rule of Joseph ll, who limited the Academy’s influence in Austria

BThe influence of Austrian art’s conservative tendencies on French art

CDavid’s inclusion in his painting of Napoleon of references to battles in ancient times

DDavid’s depiction of Napoleon wearing clothes that were current during his lifetime

 

9

It was common for European rulers from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to be depicted in equestrian portraits, showing those rulers sitting on a horse. ⬛Two such artworks are Etienne Maurice Falconet’s 1782 sculpture of the Russian ruler Peter the Great (died 1725) and Jacques-Louis David’s painting of the French general (and later emperor) Napoleon (1800). ⬛These portraits promoted carefully crafted ideas about their subjects. ⬛Surmounting a 1,350-ton boulder, Falconet’s bronze sculpture Peter the Great was a suitable monument to the ruler who oriented Russia toward European culture by building a new capital, St. Petersburg, on the western shore of Russia. ⬛Peter the Great serenely commands a rearing horse, beneath whose hooves the serpent of evil is about to be crushed. Falconet adopted the equestrian formula to equate Peter’s greatness with that of ancient Roman emperors (although, as described below, Falconet attempted to show that Peter was a more enlightened ruler).

Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage

 

The sculpture glorifies is subjct by positioning him in a dramatic pose.Insert Text Questions句子插入题

Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square  sentence to the passage.

 

10

European rulers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were commonly depicted on horseback.

Prose Summary Questions概要小结题

Select 3 answers

AThe ancient Romans depicted rulers Siding a horse, and later artists adopted this practice because it allowed them to suggest a more modern ruler’s greatness by associating it with past greatness.

BThe equestrian formula of a ruler riding a horse with one or more uplifted legs was established after the fill of the Roman Empire with the discovery of an equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

CWith his unconventional painting of Napoleon, David attempted to influence the French public by showing Napoleon as a forceful leader fully capable of establishing order.

DThrough various features, including the horse’s unusual pose, Falconet’s Peter the Great emphasized Peter the Great’s role as a beneficial and progressive leader rather than as a conqueror.

EFalconet’s Peter the Great and David’s Napoleon at the St. Bernard Pass depart from the Roman tradition of equestrian portraiture in that both depict a specific moment of crisis in a ruler’s history

FIn the nineteenth century, Delaroche and other Realists began to incorporate farm animals and other aspects of everyday life into their in equestrian portraits of rulers.