PrepTest 145, Section 3, Question 11
It is commonly assumed that even if some(434 more words not shown)
The passage provides the strongest(12 more words not shown)
- AIt is probable(11 more words not shown)
- BThe historical circumstances(16 more words not shown)
- CThe greatness of(15 more words not shown)
- DThe standards according(19 more words not shown)
- EAn artist who(13 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
Why does Vermeer's work count for more artistically even if van Meegeren's later painting looks excellent? Vermeer introduced a new vision and techniques in his own time; the forgery repeats that achievement centuries later. Lessing's evaluation therefore depends partly on where a work belongs in the history of artistic development.
Working the answers
- A
One well-known forgery does not establish that many paintings now in major museums are forged. Lessing offers a standard for artistic value, not a prevalence estimate.
- BCorrect
Whether techniques are a new contribution or a later imitation depends on the historical circumstances of their use. That is precisely why the three-century gap matters to the comparison. Surface quality alone cannot tell us which artist originated the achievement.
- C
Lessing values originality of vision, but does not measure greatness by the amount of influence an artist has on other artists. Creating a significant innovation and calculating how widely others adopt it are different standards.
- D
Historical circumstances affect the value of an artistic contribution. We are not told that the standards for identifying forgery change between periods. D transfers the historical point to a different issue.
- E
Using a technique developed by someone else does not exclude every possibility of innovation. An artist could use an existing technique while adding a new vision or development. Van Meegeren's deficiency is that this work contributes nothing new, not simply that he learned techniques from a predecessor.
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