Writers and Artists Trivia — Arts and Literature

1 The painting of a woman with a mysterious smile by Leonardo da Vinci is called:

A The Last Supper B Mona Lisa C Lady with an Ermine D The Birth of Venus

2 Who wrote Pride and Prejudice?

A Jane Austen B Emily Brontë C George Eliot D Charlotte Brontë

3 Which novel features Holden Caulfield?

A The Catcher in the Rye B To Kill a Mockingbird C 1984 D The Grapes of Wrath

4 What is the term used by historians for the period between 1585 and 1592 in William Shakespeare's life?

A The London Period B The Lost Years C The Dark Age D The Stratford Hiatus

5 What everyday food item did Salvador Dalí claim inspired his famous melting watches?

A Fried Eggs B Camembert Cheese C Melting Chocolate D Vanilla Ice Cream

6 For how many days did Agatha Christie famously disappear in 1926?

A 3 days B 11 days C 30 days D 24 hours

7 In 'The Creation of Adam,' the shape surrounding God is believed by some to resemble which human organ?

A The Heart B The Brain C The Lungs D The Liver

8 Which Mark Twain book is often cited as the first typewritten manuscript submitted to a publisher?

A The Adventures of Tom Sawyer B Life on the Mississippi C A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court D The Prince and the Pauper

9 What original background detail in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' has faded into black over time?

A A window to a garden B A green curtain C A portrait of her father D A map of the Netherlands

10 Where was J.R.R. Tolkien when he wrote the famous opening line of 'The Hobbit'?

A In a library in London B Grading student exams C On a boat to France D In a trench during WWI

11 What is the name of the 'smoky' blending technique perfected by Leonardo da Vinci?

A Fresco B Sfumato C Impasto D Chiaroscuro

12 Which expensive blue pigment, made from crushed semi-precious stones, did Vermeer famously use?

A Prussian Blue B Ultramarine C Indigo D Cobalt Blue

13 What scientific concept does Pointillism rely on to create secondary colors?

A Chemical Bonding B Optical Mixing C Pigment Infusion D Shadow Projection

14 What does Hokusai's later-life name 'Gakyo Rojin Manji' translate to in English?

A The Master of the Sea B The Old Man Mad About Painting C The Hermit of Fuji D The Prince of Printmaking

15 Who is the author of 'The Tale of Genji,' widely considered the world's first novel?

A Sei Shonagon B Murasaki Shikibu C Li Qingzhao D Izumi Shikibu

16 How did Frida Kahlo attend her first solo exhibition in Mexico in 1953?

A In a wheelchair B In her bed C Via a telephone link D She did not attend

17 What did scientific scans reveal about the ermine in Leonardo's famous portrait?

A It was originally a dog B It was added in the third stage of painting C It was painted by an assistant D It was added to hide a mistake

18 In which African country is the historic literary center of Timbuktu located?

A Egypt B Mali C Nigeria D Ethiopia

19 In what ancient writing system was the 'Epic of Gilgamesh' originally recorded?

A Hieroglyphics B Cuneiform C Sanskrit D Latin

20 In Sir Thomas More's original Greek pun, what does the word 'Utopia' literally translate to?

A Eternal City B No Place C Golden Land D City of God

Trivia Time!