[Grammar] Throw upon

Status
Not open for further replies.

oksuz_

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Hi
He catches the secrect sentiments and passions and throws them upon the canvas.

What does the bold part mean? Is it something like “reftect them upon”?

Thank you.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I am guessing that the person is a painter. In that case, he conveys sentiments and passions with his art.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
He catches the secret sentiments and passions and throws them upon the canvas.

What does the bold part mean? Is it something like “reflect upon them”?
Who wrote that, oksuz, and about whom?
 

Tdol

Editor, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
It could suggest an artist like Jackson Pollock, who worked at speed and, literally, threw paint at the canvas to make an emotionally evocative image rather than a deliberate and careful reproduction.
 
Last edited:

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Is "invocative" a synonym for "evocative" here?
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
I'd still like the OP to tell us who wrote that, and about whom.
 

oksuz_

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Two people are talking each other and one of them is explaining a man's features to the other. The man is a painter. Full phrase goes like this.

" They say that he paints not merely a man's features, but his mind and his heart. He catches the secret sentiments and passions, and throws them upon the canvas, like sunshine-or perhaps, in the portraits of dark-souled men, like a gleam of infernal fire."
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Two people are talking each other and one of them is explaining a man's features to the other. The man is a painter. The full phrase:

" They say that he paints not merely a man's features, but his mind and his heart. He catches the secret sentiments and passions, and throws them upon the canvas, like sunshine-or perhaps, in the portraits of dark-souled men, like a gleam of infernal fire."

That's a terrific quote!

Is it unknown who said it and about whom it was said?

Are you sure it isn't "their secret sentiments and passions"?
 

Tdol

Editor, UsingEnglish.com
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Member Type
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
I would love to know who he is.
 

oksuz_

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Member Type
Other
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
This phrase was taken from a story called "The Prophetic Pictures". I think the characters are fictional. However, I still do not have a clear understanding about "throw upon". Any suggestion?
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
I can't explain it any more clearly than Tdol did in post #4.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I don't think the expression is meant literally. The "secret sentiments and passions" are thrown on the canvas, not, I think, paint. And when you look at one of his paintings you can see into a man's soul. Or so you're supposed to think.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top