While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Impressionism emerged as an art movement in France during the...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Impressionism emerged as an art movement in France during the 1870s
- Key artists included Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas
- The movement emphasized capturing fleeting effects of natural light and color
- Impressionist painters often worked outdoors rather than in traditional studio settings
- They used loose brushstrokes and avoided the precise detail favored by academic painters
- The movement revolutionized European painting by prioritizing immediate visual impression over realistic representation
The student wants to provide an overview of Impressionism. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Impressionism was a French art movement from the 1870s that used loose brushstrokes and outdoor painting to capture fleeting light effects, revolutionizing European art by prioritizing visual impression over realistic detail.
Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas were key Impressionist artists who worked in France during the 1870s.
Impressionist painters avoided precise detail and used loose brushstrokes instead of the techniques favored by academic painters.
The movement revolutionized European painting by prioritizing immediate visual impression over realistic representation.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Impressionism emerged as an art movement in France during the 1870s" |
|
| "Key artists included Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas" |
|
| "The movement emphasized capturing fleeting effects of natural light and color" |
|
| "Impressionist painters often worked outdoors rather than in traditional studio settings" |
|
| "They used loose brushstrokes and avoided the precise detail favored by academic painters" |
|
| "The movement revolutionized European painting by prioritizing immediate visual impression over realistic representation" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Impressionism was a revolutionary French art movement of the 1870s that transformed European painting through new techniques focused on capturing immediate visual impressions rather than realistic detail.
Argument Flow: The notes begin by establishing the movement's origins in 1870s France and identifying key artists. They then detail the distinctive techniques that set Impressionism apart and emphasize the movement's revolutionary impact on European art.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to choose which option most effectively provides an overview of Impressionism using the student's research notes.
What type of answer do we need? A comprehensive synthesis that combines relevant information from the notes to give a complete picture of the movement.
Any limiting keywords? Overview means we need breadth rather than depth, covering multiple aspects rather than focusing on just one element.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- For an effective overview of Impressionism, the correct answer should include multiple key elements from the research notes
- We need something that covers the essential aspects: when and where it happened, what made it distinctive, what it focused on, and why it mattered
- The right answer should combine historical context, distinctive techniques, and revolutionary impact to create a complete overview that uses relevant information from multiple bullet points in the notes
Impressionism was a French art movement from the 1870s that used loose brushstrokes and outdoor painting to capture fleeting light effects, revolutionizing European art by prioritizing visual impression over realistic detail.
- Provides comprehensive overview by combining multiple elements from the notes
- Includes historical context, distinctive techniques, and revolutionary impact
- Effectively synthesizes information from five of the six bullet points
Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas were key Impressionist artists who worked in France during the 1870s.
- Focuses only on identifying key artists and basic historical facts
- Misses the techniques, artistic philosophy, and revolutionary impact that define the movement
- Too narrow for an effective overview
Impressionist painters avoided precise detail and used loose brushstrokes instead of the techniques favored by academic painters.
- Concentrates solely on technique differences between Impressionist and academic painters
- Omits historical context, key artists, specific focus on light and color, and broader revolutionary impact
The movement revolutionized European painting by prioritizing immediate visual impression over realistic representation.
- Mentions only the revolutionary impact without providing context about what the movement actually was
- Lacks historical setting, key artists, specific techniques, and artistic focus that would help readers understand Impressionism