“Do you want to build a snowman?” When this question comes up, we know it’s an invitation for wintry fun. People have been creating charming characters out of snow, like Frosty the Snowman, for as long as anyone can recall. However, there is more to the history of snowmen than you might have imagined.
Snowmen might be relatively simple structures these days, but in the European Middle Ages, they were often prized forms of art. Few people had the means to acquire art supplies, but a big snowfall brought ample free material with which to express one’s creativity. Building snowmen became a beloved winter pastime, drawing people to wander through town and admire these temporary works of chilly art. What makes this era even more remarkable is that snowmen were not just a product of common folk; they were the canvas for renowned artists as well. Among them was the 19-year-old Michelangelo, whose artistic expertise extended beyond sculpting marble. In the winter of 1494, the ruler of Florence, Italy, commissioned him to craft a snowman within the courtyard of his mansion.
My grandmother loves to sit on the bench beneath
the tree in the courtyard.
我祖母喜歡坐在中庭大樹下面的長椅上。
After months of drought, the nation is in the grip of famine.
在數個月的乾旱後,該國處於饑荒。
What would you do in the face of such a problem?
面臨這樣的問題時,你會怎麼辦?
The land owner transformed the old house into a hotel.
地主將這棟舊屋改成一家旅館。