Thomas Eakins, a painter, photographer,     1     (sculpt) and fine arts educator, received little     2     (recognize) during his lifetime but he is now widely considered as one of the most     3     (influence) figures in American art history. Eakins was interested in bringing     4     the individuality of his models and created     5     are now regarded as masterpieces in portraiture (肖像画法). His most famous work, The Gross Clinic, is “celebrated as a great 19th-century medical history painting,     6     (feature) one of the greatest portraits in American art.”

Apart from his art, Eakins     7     (credit) for introducing “the camera to the American art studio”     8     for being a famous art teacher. As an early pioneer of photography, he used the medium extensively throughout his career as both a way of documenting his own work and as a tool for     9     (explore) new visual ideas. He is recognized as the most important     10     (real) in American art in the 19th and early 20th century.

Vincent Van Gogh, for     1     colour was the main symbol of expression, was born in 1853. He     2     (bring) up in a cultured family. Van Gogh was highly     3     (emotion) and wasn’t self-confident. Between 1860 and 1880, when he finally decided to become     4     artist, Van Gogh had two unhappy love stories and worked     5     (successful) in Belgium. However, he remained there to study art, and decided to give happiness by     6     (create) beauty. Of the works of his early Dutch period, the most famous is The Potato Eaters.

In 1886, he went to Paris     7     (study) with Cormon, later met Pissarro, Monet, and Gauguin, and began     8     (light) his very dark palette (调色板). His nervousness made him a difficult person to get along     9     and night-long discussions and painting all day also affected his health. He decided to go south to Arles where he hoped his friends would join him and help set up a school of art.

Van Gogh died in 1890. During his life he had sold one painting. Van Gogh’s finest works were produced in     10     (little) than three years.