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Arshile Gorky Trivia Quiz

The artist Arshile Gorky. Gorky is the fourth of nineteen focus artists featured in the 2001-2002 US Academic Decathlon curriculum and his featured work is The Artist's Mother.

A multiple-choice quiz by SuperRo. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
SuperRo

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
60,042

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
391

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Of what nationality was Gorky? Hint

Georgian

Estonian

Armenian

Russian

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Question 2 of 15

2. What was Gorky's real name? Hint

Arshile Gorky

Arsen Akopyan

Vosdanik Adoian

Vadim Gazarov

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Question 3 of 15

3. With whom did Gorky come to America? Hint

His mother, Lady Shushanik

His sister, Vartoosh

His father, Sedrak

His brother, Arkady

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Question 4 of 15

4. What did Gorky's mother die of? Hint

she was killed by a Turk

starvation

tuberculosis

cholera

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Question 5 of 15

5. What school did Gorky not attend? Hint

National Academy of Design

Central School of Art

New School of Design

Albany School of Design

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Question 6 of 15

6. What was Gorky's little sister named? Hint

Vilena

Voina

Vartoosh

Valentina

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Question 7 of 15

7. Who did Gorky say that he had studied under in Paris? Hint

Pablo Picasso

Georges Braque

Juan Gris

Wassily Kandinsky

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Question 8 of 15

8. What does 'Arshile' translate to in English?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 9 of 15

9. And what does 'Gorky' translate to in English?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 10 of 15

10. He met Gorky in the early 1930s and looked up to him. What artist became a leader of the Abstract Expressionist movement due to Gorky's influence?

Answer: (Three Words)

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Question 11 of 15

11. What was Gorky NOT involved with? Hint

1931 World's Fair

WAP-FAP

1939 World's Fair

Public Works of Art Project

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Question 12 of 15

12. Who was the Chilean surrealist that Gorky met and was influenced by in 1939?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 13 of 15

13. Which of these did Gorky NOT paint? Hint

The Plow and the Song

Garden in Sochi

Winter at Kharkom

The Liver in the Cock's Comb

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Question 14 of 15

14. Which of these misfortunes did NOT happen to Gorky during the final years of his life? Hint

his liver was wrecked from a long battle with alcoholism

his studio burned down

he had to have surgery for cancer

he was paralyzed in a car accident

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Question 15 of 15

15. How did Gorky die? Hint

he shot himself

he died of cancer

he was in a car accident

he hanged himself

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Of what nationality was Gorky?

Answer: Armenian

His father left the family and went to America in 1908 to avoid being drafted into the Turkish army and forced to kill fellow Armenians.

2. What was Gorky's real name?

Answer: Vosdanik Adoian

He changed it later in life because Russians were more accepted in the States at that time than Armenians were.

3. With whom did Gorky come to America?

Answer: His sister, Vartoosh

Gorky's mother took her children from place to place, eventually settling in Aikesdan. The family had to flee Aikesdan in 1915 when the Turks attacked and began exterminating Armenians.

4. What did Gorky's mother die of?

Answer: starvation

In 1919, 15-year-old Gorky held his mother in his arms as she died of starvation.

5. What school did Gorky not attend?

Answer: Albany School of Design

Gorky was a part-time instructor at the New School of Design in Boston, even though he was very young. He eventually lost interest in that, and moved to New York City.

6. What was Gorky's little sister named?

Answer: Vartoosh

Within a year after their mother's death, Vartoosh and Vosdanik worked their way through Europe and eventually to America.

7. Who did Gorky say that he had studied under in Paris?

Answer: Wassily Kandinsky

He lied. He made this up to go along with his story of a Russian heritage.

8. What does 'Arshile' translate to in English?

Answer: Achilles

9. And what does 'Gorky' translate to in English?

Answer: bitter

Let's recap: Gorky changed his name to a Russian one to hide his Armenian heritage, as Russians were more accepted in the States at that time.

10. He met Gorky in the early 1930s and looked up to him. What artist became a leader of the Abstract Expressionist movement due to Gorky's influence?

Answer: Willem de Kooning

11. What was Gorky NOT involved with?

Answer: 1931 World's Fair

When the Public Works of Art Project ended, Gorky became part of the Mural Division of the Works Progress Administration.Federal Art Project (WAP-FAP), and his work here led to him painting a mural for the 1939 World's Fair.

12. Who was the Chilean surrealist that Gorky met and was influenced by in 1939?

Answer: Roberto Matta

His experience with Matta was the last step in developing his style.

13. Which of these did Gorky NOT paint?

Answer: Winter at Kharkom

I made up 'Winter in Kharkom'...but 'The Liver in the Cock's Comb' was considered Gorky's masterpiece. This piece is one of the links between European Modern Art, and American Abstract Art.

14. Which of these misfortunes did NOT happen to Gorky during the final years of his life?

Answer: his liver was wrecked from a long battle with alcoholism

Over 30 paintings were lost in the studio fire, he had to have surgery for cancer of the colon, and he was in a horrible car accident. Gorky's life was very tragic.

15. How did Gorky die?

Answer: he hanged himself

After he was paralyzed in a car accident which broke his neck and left his painting arm temporarily paralyzed, his wife left him and took the kids (nice). This was apparently the last straw, and on July 21, 1948, Gorky wrote 'Goodbye My Loveds' on a box in his home and hung himself.

Source: Author SuperRo

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Snowman before going online.
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