Nineteenth century painter Albert Bierstadts view of his artistic ski

Question

Nineteenth century painter Albert Bierstadt’s view of his artistic skill as a vehicle for selfpromotion was evident in his choices of style and subject matter. From the debut of his career with the exhibition of Lake Lucerne (1856), he developed a fixed style that was most easily recognizable for its size—the largest of the 636 paintings on display at the exhibition, it was over three meters wide. This, coupled with the artist’s ability to represent the optimistic feeling in America during the westward expansion, is what led to Bierstadt’s explosive growth in popularity during the 1860s. Bierstadt deliberately appealed to those rich patrons—railroad tycoons and financiers—whose nearest substitute to making the arduous journey out West was to purchase a hyperbolized replica of a Western vista. But trends following the Civil War produced a drastic shift away from the adventurous optimism of the pre-war era and toward a more subdued appreciation for the details of American life. In this new social context, the paintings now seemed too decadent, too gaudy, for the new philosophy taking root in the country following the horrors of war. As one commentator in 1866 put it, Bierstadt’s work “ may impose upon the senses, but does not affect the heart. ” In a sense, then, that same American pride upon which Bierstadt had capitalized to advance his success was now, in its fickleness, the source of his downfall.    1 
 1. According to the passage, the new philosophy taking root in America after the Civil War would be best described as

(A) justifiable pessimism
(B) somber realism
(C) restrained minimalism
(D) prideful idealism
(E) stubborn dogmatism

2  
 2. The passage quotes the commentator ( Highlighted ) primarily in order to

(A) challenge a prevailing thesis
(B) point out an erroneous assertion
(C) provide expert testimony
(D) highlight a controversy
(E) offer evidence supporting a claim

3  
 3. All of the following are mentioned as contributors to Bierstadt’s success EXCEPT

(A) the dimensions of his paintings
(B) his ability to convey auspicious feelings
(C) subdued appreciation for the details of American life
(D) catering to the preferences of the wealthy
(E) portrayals of exaggerated landscapes

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. According to the passage, the new philosophy taking root in America after the Civil War would be best described as

The passage makes the case that Bierstadt’s work, which represented the “optimistic feeling in America during the Westward expansion,” was later considered “gaudy” and no longer suited for the prevailing trends in art in America after the war. The optimism that once characterized American preferences was tempered by the “horrors of war.” The new American attitude, in other words, was one of “somber realism,” choice (B). Don’t get misled into picking (D), “prideful idealism,” by the fact that the passage mentions American pride. The passage does not imply that there was anything idealistic about the new American attitudes after the Civil War. Choice (A) may also be tempting but the author never makes any sort of claim as to whether the new American attitudes are misguided.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. The passage quotes the commentator (     Highlighted     ) primarily in order to

A central thesis of the passage is that the same elements that initially made Bierstadt’s work popular eventually contributed to its downfall. These elements were, in short, an emphasis on size and quantity rather than emotionality. The quoted phrase is a criticism of his work to this effect, providing a specific example of the opinion of the time. This supports  choice (E) .  Choice (C)  may be tempting, but this phrase may or may not be the opinion of an expert, plus to  “provide expert testimony”  is not the best description for the purpose of the phrase. 
 
  Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. All of the following are mentioned as contributors to Bierstadt’s success EXCEPT

The author argues in the first paragraph that Bierstadt  “developed a fixed style that was most easily recognizable for its size,”   (A) , that he had an  “ability to represent the optimistic feeling in America,” (B) , that he  “deliberately appealed to those rich patrons,” (D) , and that patrons could purchase a  “hyperbolized replica of a Western vista,” (E) . The increasing attention to  “subdued appreciation for the details of American life”  is mentioned in the second paragraph as a trend that worked against Bierstadt. Therefore,  choice (C)  is the correct answer to this Except question. 
 
  Answer: C

Nineteenth century painter Albert Bierstadts view of his artistic ski

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