This Academic Reading Passage 1, which is about the life of a well-known artist, will help you review the huge topic of art and the arts in IELTS.

This topic covers writers (Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo in the Listening Test) and sculptors (Henry Moore in the Reading Test) as well as theatres, art galleries, pottery, photography and music.

In the Speaking Test, you might be asked to describe a favourite painting, or to talk about a time you visited an exhibition or museum.

This reading includes lots of vocabulary that will help you describe a painting with precise language.

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Describe a picture or painting you like. You should say: 

• what the painting is about 

• who painted it 

• where you first saw it 

  and explain why you like it. 

Some useful expressions

The painting that left a lasting impression on me is… 🖼️

The reason this piece means so much to me is… 💖

The painting depicts… 🖼️

To me, it represents… 🎭

Personally, I find it incredibly… 🌈

The use of colour really stands out… 🎨

It has a timeless quality… ⌛