While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:In 1874, a group of French artists organized an independent...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In 1874, a group of French artists organized an independent exhibition in Paris, rejecting the traditional Salon system.
- Art critic Louis Leroy attended the exhibition and wrote a satirical review in the newspaper Le Charivari.
- Leroy was particularly dismissive of Claude Monet's painting 'Impression, Sunrise,' mocking its unfinished appearance.
- He sarcastically referred to the artists as 'Impressionists,' intending the term as criticism of their loose brushwork.
- The artists initially resisted this label, preferring to be called 'Independents' or 'Intransigents.'
- However, they eventually embraced the term 'Impressionist,' and it became the official name of their revolutionary movement.
The student wants to show how an artistic movement acquired its name through an unexpected process. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
In 1874, French artists organized an independent exhibition, rejecting the traditional Salon system in favor of their own approach.
What began as a critic's mocking term for artists with loose brushwork eventually became the accepted name for a revolutionary movement.
Louis Leroy wrote a satirical review of the 1874 exhibition, criticizing Claude Monet's 'Impression, Sunrise.'
The artists initially preferred names like 'Independents' but later accepted 'Impressionist' as their movement's title.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'In 1874, a group of French artists organized an independent exhibition in Paris, rejecting the traditional Salon system.' |
|
| 'Art critic Louis Leroy attended the exhibition and wrote a satirical review in the newspaper Le Charivari.' |
|
| 'Leroy was particularly dismissive of Claude Monet's painting 'Impression, Sunrise,' mocking its unfinished appearance.' |
|
| 'He sarcastically referred to the artists as 'Impressionists,' intending the term as criticism of their loose brushwork.' |
|
| 'The artists initially resisted this label, preferring to be called 'Independents' or 'Intransigents.'' |
|
| 'However, they eventually embraced the term 'Impressionist,' and it became the official name of their revolutionary movement.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Impressionist art movement acquired its name through an ironic process where a critic's mocking term eventually became the artists' chosen identity.
Argument Flow: The narrative begins with context about artists breaking from tradition, then introduces a critic who responded with mockery, specifically coining 'Impressionist' as an insult. The artists initially rejected this label but surprisingly ended up embracing the very term meant to criticize them, making it their official movement name.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct choice needs to capture the ironic reversal at the heart of this story
- It should show that what started as mockery or criticism became something positive and accepted
- Key elements the right answer must have: The origin as criticism or mockery, the transformation into acceptance, and the sense that this reversal was surprising
In 1874, French artists organized an independent exhibition, rejecting the traditional Salon system in favor of their own approach.
- Focuses only on the 1874 exhibition and rejection of the Salon system
- Completely misses the naming story and the unexpected process
What began as a critic's mocking term for artists with loose brushwork eventually became the accepted name for a revolutionary movement.
- Perfectly captures the unexpected process by showing how the name 'began as a critic's mocking term' and 'eventually became the accepted name'
- Shows the transformation and emphasizes the ironic reversal from mockery to acceptance
Louis Leroy wrote a satirical review of the 1874 exhibition, criticizing Claude Monet's 'Impression, Sunrise.'
- Only covers the first half of the story with Leroy's satirical review
- Stops at the criticism without showing the unexpected adoption
The artists initially preferred names like 'Independents' but later accepted 'Impressionist' as their movement's title.
- Mentions both resistance and acceptance but misses that 'Impressionist' originated as mockery
- Without knowing it started as criticism, the eventual acceptance is not clearly 'unexpected'