In the past century, Irish painting has changed from a British-influen

Question

In the past century, Irish painting has changed from a British-influenced lyrical tradition to an art that evokes the ruggedness and roots of an Irish Celtic past. At the turn of the twentieth century, Irish painters—including notables Walter Frederick Osborne and Sir William Orpen—looked elsewhere for influence. Osborne’s exposure to “plein air” painting deeply affected his stylistic development, and Orpen allied himself with a group of English artists, while at the same time participating in the French avant-garde experiment, both as painter and teacher.

However, nationalist energies were beginning to coalesce, reviving interest in Irish culture, including Irish visual arts. Beatrice  Elvery’s Éire  (1907), a landmark achievement, merged the devotional simplicity of fifteenth-century Italian painting with the iconography of Ireland’s Celtic past, linking the history of Irish Catholicism with the still-nascent Irish republic. And, although also captivated by the French plein air school, Sir John Lavery invoked the mythology of his native land for a 1928 commission to paint the central figure for the bank note of the new Irish Free State. Lavery chose as this figure Éire, with her arm on a Celtic harp, the national symbol of independent Ireland.

In Irish painting from about 1910, memories of Edwardian  romanticism  coexisted with a new sense of  realism , exemplified by the paintings of Paul Henry and Seán Keating, a student of Orpen. Realism also crept into the work of Edwardians Lavery and Orpen, both of whom made paintings depicting World War I, Lavery with a distanced Victorian nobility, Orpen closer to the front, revealing a more sinister and realistic vision. Meanwhile,  counterpoint  to the Edwardians and realists came Jack B. Yeats, whose travels throughout the rugged and more authentically Irish West led him to depict subjects ranging from street scenes in Dublin to boxing matches and funerals. Fusing close observations of Irish life and icons with an Irish identity in a new way, Yeats changed the face of Irish painting and became the most important Irish artist of his century.    1 
 1. With respect to which of the following painters does the passage provide LEAST support for the assertion that the painter was influenced by the contemporary art of France?

(A) Walter Frederick Osborne
(B) Sir William Orpen
(C) Beatrice Elvery
(D) Seán Keating
(E) Sir John Lavery

2 
 2. Which of the following best explains the author’s use of the word “counterpoint” ( Highlighted ) in referring to Yeats?

(A) Yeats’ paintings differed significantly in subject matter from those of his contemporaries in Ireland.
(B) Yeats reacted to the realism of his contemporary artists by invoking nineteenth-century naturalism in his own painting style.
(C) Yeats avoided religious and mythological themes in favor of mundane portrayals of Irish life.
(D) Yeats’ paintings suggested that his political views departed radically from those of the Edwardians and the realists.
(E) Yeats built upon the realism painting tradition, elevating it to unprecedented artistic heights.

3 
 3. The author points out the coexistence of romanticism and realism ( Highlighted ) most probably in order to show that

(A) Irish painters of the early twentieth century often combined elements of realism with those of romanticism into a single painting.
(B) Irish painters of the early twentieth century tended to romanticize the harsh reality of war.
(C) for a time painters from each school influenced painters from the other school.
(D) Yeats was influenced by both the romantic and realist schools of Irish painting.
(E) the transition in Irish painting from one predominant style to the other was not an abrupt one.

4 
 4. Which of the following is the most likely title of a longer article in which the passage might have appeared?

(A) “Twentieth Century Irish Masterpieces: A Coalescence of Painting Styles”
(B) “Among Irish Painters, who Deserves Credit for the Preeminence of Yeats?”
(C) “Realism vs. Romanticism: Ireland’s Struggle for National Identity”
(D) “Irish Paintings: Reflections of an Emerging Independent State”
(E) “The Role of Celtic Mythology in Irish Painting”

RC Butler 2021  -  Practice Two RC Questions Everyday.   
Passage # 206 Date: 25-May-2021
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2021 .  Click here for Details

kntombat · Answer

Sajjad1994 , could you provide the official explanation for question 3 as and when possible, I would love to know where I went wrong.
Thanks.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. The author points out the coexistence of romanticism and realism (Highlighted) most probably in order to show that

Explanation

The passage’s main concern, expressed in the  first sentence , is with the transition in Ireland from art that was influenced primarily by Britain’s lyrical tradition to art that reflected Ireland’s distinct national character. Of the five answer choices,  choice (E)  is most consistent with this overall concern.

The correct answer is (E).

Bhangi · Answer

Hello sajjad please explain question 1

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. With respect to which of the following painters does the passage provide LEAST support for the assertion that the painter was influenced by the contemporary art of France?

Difficulty Level:   Hard

Explanation

The passage’s author indicates that Elvery was influenced by fifteenth-century Italian art, but the author neither states nor suggests that Elvery was influenced by her French contemporaries.

Choice (D)  is not explicitly supported in the passage. However, in the third paragraph the author indicates that Keating was a student of Orpen. The fact that Orpen participated in the French avant-garde experiment as a teacher lends strong support to the assertion that Keating was also influenced by the avant-garde movement.

The correct answer is (C).

ricardorr04 · Answer

pretty challenging passage and questions, 2/4 correct

aryan3 · Answer

Can somebody explain ques 2 and 4 
I was confused between options A and D in 4

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. Which of the following best explains the author’s use of the word “counterpoint” (Highlighted) in referring to Yeats?

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

Although the passage does not indicate the subject matter of the paintings of realists Henry and Keating, the author discusses Lavery and Orpen as depicting in their paintings somewhat romanticized scenes of politically charged subject matter. Yeats’ focus on everyday Irish life is set against, yet complements, (i.e., provides a  “counterpoint to” ) the depictions by Lavery and Orpen.

The correct answer is (A).

4. Which of the following is the most likely title of a longer article in which the passage might have appeared?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

As a whole, the passage involves the increasing role that Irish tradition and nationalism played in the subject matter of Irish painting, beginning at the turn of the twentieth century. The first sentence strongly suggests that the article would continue in this vein.

The correct answer is (D).

Gaurav2896 · Answer

HI  AnirudhaS   VeritasKarishma ,

Can you please help me with Q3 , i marked option A reading the next line about romanticism in was paintings . I read the other explanation for E , which mention the overall idea of passage , but use of romanticism and realism doesn't seems to reflect that the change was slow.

KarishmaB · Answer

Option (A) is a trap option.

3. The author points out the coexistence of romanticism and realism (Highlighted) most probably in order to show that

(A) Irish painters of the early twentieth century often combined elements of realism with those of romanticism into a single painting.
(B) Irish painters of the early twentieth century tended to romanticize the harsh reality of war.
(C) for a time painters from each school influenced painters from the other school.
(D) Yeats was influenced by both the romantic and realist schools of Irish painting.
(E) the transition in Irish painting from one predominant style to the other was not an abrupt one.

Refer to this:
 In Irish painting from about 1910, memories of Edwardian romanticism coexisted with a new sense of realism, exemplified by the paintings of Paul Henry and Seán Keating, a student of Orpen. Realism also crept into the work of Edwardians Lavery and Orpen, both of whom made paintings depicting World War I...

The idea is that realism crept into the Edwardian romanticism. The passage doesn't suggest that the two elements were consciously picked by the painters in a single painting. It suggests that the transition happened slowly with both co-existing for some time.

Hence, (E) is the answer.

ducchi1301 · Answer

1. With respect to which of the following painters does the passage provide LEAST support for the assertion that the painter was influenced by the contemporary art of France?

(A) Walter Frederick Osborne
(B) Sir William Orpen
 (C) Beatrice Elvery  (There's no indication of Beatrice's inspiration from the comtemporary art of France.)  
 (D) Seán Keating 
(E) Sir John Lavery

RiyaJ0032 · Answer

can someone explain Q1?

RC says that " Beatrice merged the devotional simplicity of fifteenth-century Italian painting with the iconography of Ireland’s Celtic past"

does this not mean that Beatrice was influenced by Italian art? or else why would he merge Italian painting with Irish iconography ?

whereas (A) Osborne , we are not given anywhere whether he was influenced by Italian art, why isn't (A) the answer?

@KarishmaB 
 @Sajjad1994

In the past century, Irish painting has changed from a British-influen

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In the past century, Irish painting has changed from a British-influen

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