Q24

[skapur777]

Is C incorrect due to lines 28-31, where Michelangelo says that if the sculpture looks like an antique then it will sell better, and thus the 'looking like an antique' is a quality that art collectors prize in their acquisitions?

Seems like a weak way to connect to the answer choice so I was wondering if I missed something

[bbirdwell]

(A) lines 7-8: "somewhere between the two extremes"
(B) lines 16-18: "imperial Rome"
(C) lines 30-31 (as you mentioned), as well as 39-40: "authenticity...function"
(D) last paragraph: Africa
(E) nope. not anywhere.

[goriano]

(A) lines 7-8: "somewhere between the two extremes"
(B) lines 16-18: "imperial Rome"
(C) lines 30-31 (as you mentioned), as well as 39-40: "authenticity...function"
(D) last paragraph: Africa
(E) nope. not anywhere.

I have questions about (C), (D), and (E)

(C) says qualities of art that collectors have PRIZED. Lines 28-31 mention patrons. Are we supposed to equate patrons with collectors? This seems like an unwarranted stretch. And while lines 39-40 do mention art collectors, it only discusses their views in relation to the qualities that DEFINE authenticity for that culture.

(D) says cultures where "fake" and "original" don't apply. The first sentence of the last paragraph, "Fake reminds us that in certain cultures authenticity is a foreign concept" is misleading, because the rest of the paragraph seems to indicate that the concept of authenticity DOES apply, but just not in the way WE perceive that concept. That is, authenticty in Africa depends on function, and even lines 44-45 state: "The second, otherwise identical, lacks the pegs and is a REPLICA made for sale."

(E) says contemporary artists. Dictionary definition of contemporary is "of the present time, modern." Since we are not supposed to bring in outside information, how would a reader know Michelangelo wouldn't qualify as a "contemporary" artist? What does the LSAT consider contemporary anyway? And even lines 23-25 state "The MODERN age of faking began in the Italian Renaissance."

I was so annoyed with this question!

[bbirdwell]

(C) "prized" is intentionally used here as a distracting word. We can easily infer it to mean "valued." So are there specific examples of qualities that collectors value? Yes. In Imperial Rome, collectors valued early Greek art, or the "Greekness" of fakes.

"Patrons" need not be substituted for "collectors." The patron suggests that if Michelangelo's works looked a certain way, it would sell better. Who's it going to sell to? Collectors. Why would it sell "better"? Because it has qualities that the buyers/collectors value. So here, we can infer that collectors value antiques.

(D) For one thing, "fake vs original" seems in some ways to be tied to time. The original should pre-date the fake. This is not true of African art. As you said, a work's authenticity depends on function -- not on whether it was created first. So there might be "authentic" vs "non-authentic," but not "fake" vs "original" in the way the terms are being used in the rest of the passage.

Furthermore, that distinction - authentic/non vs fake/original - is one that the collectors/experts have imposed on the artwork. To the African culture, though, "authenticity" in regards to the fake/original discussion of the entire passage, is "non-existent."

Therefore, that culture is an example of (D), whereas the culture of collectors-of-African-art do still seem to have a conception of authenticity, as you described.

(E) "contemporary" means "now." I think it's pretty fair to say it's common knowledge that we're no longer in the Italian Renaissance, in which Michelangelo is implied to have lived and worked.

I'd recommend taking the easy out here in recognizing the answer without overthinking things. Even if the other choices are tempting because of their language, this one is rather clear. So choose it and move on, despite your discomfort with the others. I believe it is an essential part of LSAT training to cultivate the ability to move on from a question even though some discomfort persists and choose an answer for what may seem like more "ballpark" reasons.

Oftentimes, when you find yourself debating such minute details as you have here, you're falling into a well-written trap designed to frustrate you and eat up your time. Often the best strategy in such a situation is to back up to the bigger picture rather than digging in deeper and deeper into nuance and subtlety.

[boy5237]

Brian,
I have a question.
I was stuck between A and E because clearly B,C and D all were given a example.

A: I mean the question stem says "author provides at least one example.."
The line you referred isn't the example; or are you implying that the book Fake is the example that presents such view?

E: I guess I was stuck due to misreading. I thought the "patron" was an artist since he buried the cupid into the ground. So... such assumption is bad right?

[mohitydv11]

I am having a problem between choices A and E despite having read above discussion.

My understanding for proving A correct and E incorrect is :
1. Lines 7 does mention

" ... the text begins by noting a variety of possibilities somewhere between the two extremes."

. But this mentions the text in the book Fake? and not the book. So we have no example of a category of art which is not fake and not original.

2.Line 35-36 mentions

" Soon his genius made him the object of imitators."

. So Michelangelo is a artist who was imitated. Isn't "imitiation" not equivalent to "inspiring fakes" ?

Am i missing something ?

[mrosa1210]

During the timed practice I struggled with this question and got it wrong. During blind review (I didn't catch the distinction between contemporary and Moden but I remember thinking Michaelangelo is not contemporary) I flagged that the answer choice states contemporary artists as in more than one. The only artist described is Michalangelo so we can also eliminate based on the quantity reared to in the answer choice.