This Day in History March 30… 歷史上的今天 3月30日

Today in 1853, one of history's greatest painters was born in the Netherlands. However, he did not become famous until after he died in 1890. Who was he? Vincent van Gogh. He did not start painting until he was in his late twenties. Even so, he produced over 2000 works that include paintings as well as sketches. His first art exhibition was in the late 1880s. News of his talent spread after that. Most of van Gogh's most famous works like Starry Night were created in the two years before his death. Today, he is known as an important influence on the creation of modern art.

1853年的今天， 史上最偉大的畫家之一在荷蘭出生。然而，他一直到他1890年死後才變得有名。他是誰？他正是文生．梵谷。他一直到28、29歲時才開始作畫。即便如此， 他所創作的作品仍有兩千多件，其中包括了畫作和素描。他的第一場作品展在1880年代末期舉辦。而他才華洋溢的消息也自此傳了開來。梵谷大多數的名畫，像 是「星夜」等，都是他在過世前兩年所創作的。如今，他因為對現代藝術創作有深遠影響而聞名於世。

單字片語

◎in one’s late twenties/thirties…
在某人28、29歲／38、 39歲……時
例：Even though she is in her mid-thirties, Lillian doesn’t plan on having any children.（雖然莉莉安已經35、36歲了，但她並不打算生小孩。）
◎Even so, S + V 即便如此，……
例：I’m exhausted. Even so, I really want to go to the movies tonight.（我累死了。即使如此，我今晚還是想去看電影。）
◎sketch n.素描；草圖
◎as well as... 以及……
例：Mike is raising two children as well as supporting his parents.（麥克要扶養兩個小孩還要奉養雙親。）
◎exhibition n.展覽，展示
例：A large number of ancient Egyptian artifacts are on exhibition at the museum.（很多古埃及的歷史文物正在這間博物館展出中。）
◎starry a.布滿星星的，星光照耀的

知識大補帖

一直以來，荷蘭畫家梵谷出名原因部分是來自他自殘的傳說，但最近兩位德國藝術史學者出書，驚爆梵谷是與畫家友人 高更（Paul Gauguin）爭執後，被高更割下耳朵。兩位學者在《梵谷的耳朵：保羅．高更與沉默的協定》（Van Gogh’s Ear: Paul Gauguin and the Pact of Silence）一書中主張，當年官方說法其實是據高更的片面說詞。學者表示，兩人因妓女瑞秋起爭執，梵谷或許曾對高更動手，而高更則是出於自衛才拿劍朝 梵谷揮動，結果擊中梵谷的耳朵。隔天警察找到高更，高更為自保才編出梵谷自殘的故事。