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SriTamDas
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised Updated on: 02 Sep 2026, 06:51
Originally posted by SriTamDas on 05 Nov 2021, 11:24.
Last edited by Bunuel on 02 Sep 2026, 06:51, edited 1 time in total.
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised important aesthetic issues. Art historians are now acutely aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works’ original colors. Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians’ reasoning?

(A) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made.
(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have.
(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work.
(D) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork.
(E) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created.
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C
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 07 Dec 2021, 09:13
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised important aesthetic issues. Art historians are now acutely aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works’ original colors. Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians’ reasoning?

Highlighted text is the conclusion. Blue texts are key words. The argument is revolving around colors and thus conclusion as well. A choice that gives some context about color would most likely be the answer. Also what is meant by interpretation of frescoes?!!
Thus, the choice must bridge the gap between 'colors' and 'interpretations'.

(A) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made. - WRONG. Nothing about color.
(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have. - WRONG. 'Colors' woird is there but no context is present. Artists' intention is not relevant.
(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work. - CORRECT.
(D) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork. - WRONG. May be or may be not, but it is irrelevant.
(E) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created. - WRONG. Goes in the period not discussed, most importantly irrelevant to argument.

Answer C.
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 27 Dec 2021, 23:07
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Argument:
What? An interpretation after restoration may no longer be appropriate
Why? Because color has changed after the restoration

But we do not know any link between color and interpretation - to make it more sound the 2 should be linked

SriTamDas
The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised important aesthetic issues. Art historians are now acutely aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works’ original colors. Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians’ reasoning?

(A) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made. - Doesn't provide us any linkage, so doesn't help us better answer why color change will make the interpretation inappropriate.
(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have. Sure but we are still left hanging wondering about why are we considered color in the first place to consider interpretation's appropriateness
(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work. Right on point!
(D) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork. Okay then! Doesn't help me with the reasoning though
(E) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created.If
that's the case, why do we even care about restoration and the color?
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 17 May 2023, 03:40
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised important aesthetic issues. Art historians are now acutely aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works’ original colors. Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate.

Before cleaning - colour appropriate , no aesthetic issues .
cleaning result - colours of work they study are different from work’s original colour
Conclusion - frescoes that seemed appropriate may no longer be appropriate
Pre think - reasoning of art historian is associated with colour of frescoes that has led to the conclusion. It


Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians’ reasoning?

(A) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made. No correlation with the history. Out of scope
(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have. Reverse of the argument . Colours not changed after the restoration
(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work. Correct correlation
(D) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork. Irrelevant
(E) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created. wrong correlation

Best option is C
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 02 Sep 2026, 06:46
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Can you please help me with why second option is incorrect
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 02 Sep 2026, 07:45
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised important aesthetic issues. Art historians are now acutely aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works’ original colors. Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians’ reasoning?

The historians reason that if the perceived colors of the frescoes change, the appropriate interpretation of those frescoes may also change. The missing principle is that color matters when interpreting an artwork.

(A) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made.

Incorrect. The argument is about changes in the perceived colors of the artwork, not changes in historical context.

(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have.

Incorrect. This raises a possible problem with restoration, but it does not explain why different colors would make an earlier interpretation inappropriate.

(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work.

Correct. If color is relevant to interpretation, then discovering that the frescoes’ colors differ from what historians previously thought gives a reason to reconsider earlier interpretations.

(D) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork.

Incorrect. The issue is interpretation, not who is best qualified to judge artistic value.

(E) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created.

Incorrect. The passage does not connect the validity of an interpretation to when that interpretation was developed.

Answer: (C)
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The recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel has raised 02 Sep 2026, 22:14
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rashminuligonda
Can you please help me with why second option is incorrect
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Cleaning of the frescoes removes dirt and dust and hence the original colors would become more apparent. The frescoes will not get colors that the artist did not intend for it to have. In fact, the colors that the artist gave the frescoes will become more apparent.
That is why (B) is not correct.

(B) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have.

But (C) makes complete sense because of "Art historians have concluded from this that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes’ restoration may no longer be appropriate."
After the cleaning, the colors would be cleaner and if the interpretation now is not appropriate, it means color has something to do with interpretation.
(C) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work.

That is why (C) is correct and (B) is not.
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