PrepTest 145, Section 3, Question 7
It is commonly assumed that even if some(434 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(9 more words not shown)
- AThe Disciples at(17 more words not shown)
- BThe aesthetic value(18 more words not shown)
- CForged artworks are(15 more words not shown)
- DThe most skilled(14 more words not shown)
- EArt critics tend(14 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
We've already predicted the main point: a forgery can be aesthetically excellent but artistically inferior because it lacks originality of vision. Van Meegeren's painting makes the distinction concrete: impressive technique does not give it Vermeer's historic contribution.
What we’re looking for
Look for that broader explanation. The deception of the critics creates the puzzle; it is not the final conclusion about artistic value.
Working the answers
- A
The painting is explicitly praised for its aesthetic qualities. Calling it a failure in both respects erases the distinction that the explanation depends on. Artistic inferiority is not the same as aesthetic failure.
- B
This assigns intangible qualities to the wrong kind of value. Lessing defines aesthetic qualities in terms of what is perceptible on the surface. Originality and historical significance explain the difference in artistic accomplishment.
- CCorrect
This states both the comparative conclusion and its reason. A forgery can match or surpass visible qualities while lacking the original vision that makes the earlier work artistically significant. The example supports this general point even though C does not name the painting.
- D
A skilled forger's ability to deceive experts is illustrated, but it is the starting point for the question about value. It does not give Lessing's answer.
- E
The author's purpose is not to condemn critics as generally unreliable. Indeed, Lessing accepts that the painting has excellent aesthetic qualities. The critics' mistake about its origin does not make every part of their judgment worthless.
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