Диагностическая работа октябрь 2013 г.
чтение 2 (вариант 1)

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Thomas Gainsborough

Thomas Gainsborough is a famous English portrait and landscape painter. He was born in England in 1727 and was one of nine children in the family of a wool merchant. His parents discovered the boy’s talent in an interesting and unusual way. Thomas spent his childhood in the country. Once, while walking near his father’s house, he saw a thief climbing over the wall of their neighbour’s garden. Thomas had a look at the man, went back home and drew a portrait of the thief. When his father told his family about the robbery, young Thomas showed him the picture. The portrait of the stranger was taken to the police. The portrait was so good and precise that the thief was caught and punished soon after.
Thomas’ mother encouraged her son's talent and Gainsborough made a rather impressive portfolio at a young age. By 10, the young artist had drawn quite a lot of local village landscapes, and added several caricatures. His father was impressed by his works and allowed Thomas to go to London, where he studied at an academy in St. Martin's Lane.
The young artist painted landscapes. They were wonderful but were not selling very well. Soon the painter married and moved to Bath. To support his family Thomas started to paint portraits. And very soon Thomas Gainsborough became a well-known artist and a wealthy person.
Money allowed him to get into music. He learned to play several musical instruments and employed international musicians to play in his house. He once said, "I paint portraits to live, landscapes because I love them, and music because I can't leave it alone".
In his lifetime Thomas Gainsborough painted many pictures - more than 500. About 200 of these were paintings of people.
The painting of The Blue Boy is perhaps one of the best-known works by Gainsborough. Although the painter himself preferred landscapes, it is his portrait works that give him lasting fame.
Thomas Gainsborough died in 1788 at the age of 61. Major works by Gainsborough in Britain can be seen at the Tate Britain Gallery and the National Gallery (London), and the National Gallery of Scotland (Edinburgh).

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