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Nov 28, 2009 21:38
14 yrs ago
Russian term

по химии

Russian to English Art/Literary Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
Я пишу этюды академические и работаю по химии.

This is a painter talking about his own working style. He goes on to state that he works with 'spectral analyses and studies the sun'. Can anyone suggest what the reference to chemistry could refer to specifically?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Simon
Proposed translations (English)
3 working with chemistry
3 experiment with chemicals in my art
2 use chemistry in my work
3 -1 use a ready-made primer

Discussion

Deborah Hoffman Nov 29, 2009:
Hi Simon, I found the source of this quotation and wonder whether it was possibly written originally in French rather than Russian and whether that might affect meaning somehow?

http://www.museum.ru/GMII/exh.asp?last=3ok-25nb
James McVay Nov 29, 2009:
I hadn't considered that "этюд" has a broader meaning in Russian than "etude" does in English. That's just one of the shortcomings of a predominantly scientific education! So forget what I said about writing music.
The Misha Nov 29, 2009:
In the absence of any further context, I'd say there doesn't seem to be any connection between the two parts whatsoever. It may be just as simple as that the guy is also a chemist in his day job. Any chance of that? If not, I'd just translate literally as in "I paint studies, and I do chemistry too." Let God sort them all out, you know, you are a translator, not a clairvoyant.
PoveyTrans (X) (asker) Nov 29, 2009:
Definitely an artist, he's well-known, part of the avant-garde movement...
James McVay Nov 29, 2009:
Is this guy an artist or a house painter? If the former, maybe he's just metaphorically saying he writes music and paints. You know how those artistic types are . . .;)

Proposed translations

8 hrs
Selected

working with chemistry

I would think it's more likely he's referring to something like spectometry, given his eventual development of a device called the "optophone" whose keys produced color as well as sound.

http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetailPrintable.jsp?...

Perhaps "I'm painting studies and working with chemistry."
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks. It's not entirely clear to me what the author means but this is very useful. "
17 mins

use chemistry in my work

I'm guessing that he's a painter who knows his paint chemistry.
Note from asker:
thanks, just seems a slightly odd thing to say.
Something went wrong...
-1
37 mins

use a ready-made primer

'работать по' is very likely to refer to the coating. Химия is a common way to say 'a patented substance'.
Peer comment(s):
disagree The Misha : No offense, but as an amateur oil painter I can tell you that this is total speculation - as outrageous as it is unfounded. Oh, and by the way, there was no acrylic gesso yet back at that time.
3 hrs
The sense of 'химия' might be relatively new, but I indicated this by the confidence level. Go to the link posted in the discussion and you'll find 'работаю также по одной вещи...' in the next line, meaning 'paint over'. What is so outrageous about it?
Something went wrong...
11 hrs

experiment with chemicals in my art

yeah, sounds like this flake is full of those chemicals too!
Note from asker:
Thanks Michael. I would like to split hte points between you and Deborah but sadly this is not possible. Thanks for your thoughts and time.
Something went wrong...
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