While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:In 1851, German American artist Emanuel Leutze painted Washington Crossing...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In 1851, German American artist Emanuel Leutze painted Washington Crossing the Delaware.
- His huge painting (149 × 255 inches) depicts the first US president crossing a river with soldiers in the Revolutionary War.
- In 2019, Cree artist Kent Monkman painted mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Resurgence of the People.
- Monkman's huge painting (132 × 264 inches) was inspired by Leutze's.
- It portrays Indigenous people in a boat rescuing refugees.
The student wants to emphasize a similarity between the two paintings. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Monkman, a Cree artist, finished his painting in 2019; Leutze, a German American artist, completed his in 1851.
Although Monkman's painting was inspired by Leutze's, the people and actions the two paintings portray are very different.
Leutze's and Monkman's paintings are both huge, measuring \(149 \times 255\) inches and \(132 \times 264\) inches, respectively.
Leutze's painting depicts Revolutionary War soldiers, while Monkman's depicts Indigenous people and refugees.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In 1851, German American artist Emanuel Leutze painted Washington Crossing the Delaware." |
|
| "His huge painting (149 × 255 inches) depicts the first US president crossing a river with soldiers in the Revolutionary War." |
|
| "In 2019, Cree artist Kent Monkman painted mistikôsiwak (Wooden Boat People): Resurgence of the People." |
|
| "Monkman's huge painting (132 × 264 inches) was inspired by Leutze's." |
|
| "It portrays Indigenous people in a boat rescuing refugees." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Two large-scale paintings from different eras are connected through artistic inspiration, with the later work reimagining the boat-crossing theme for a different historical and cultural context.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which choice best emphasizes what the two paintings share in common
What type of answer do we need? A statement that highlights similarities rather than differences
Any limiting keywords? "similarity" is the key limiting word - we must focus on commonalities
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, the two paintings share several potential similarities: both involve people in boats, both are large-scale works, and there's an artistic connection through inspiration
- However, the most concrete, measurable similarity is their enormous size - both are described as "huge" with specific dimensions provided
- The right answer should focus on what these paintings genuinely have in common rather than their differences
- It should highlight a shared characteristic that makes them similar as artworks
Monkman, a Cree artist, finished his painting in 2019; Leutze, a German American artist, completed his in 1851.
- Points out when each artist completed their work and their different cultural backgrounds
- This emphasizes differences (time periods, ethnicities) rather than similarities
Although Monkman's painting was inspired by Leutze's, the people and actions the two paintings portray are very different.
- Acknowledges the inspiration connection but immediately pivots to emphasize differences
- The phrase "very different" directly contradicts the goal of emphasizing similarity
Leutze's and Monkman's paintings are both huge, measuring \(149 \times 255\) inches and \(132 \times 264\) inches, respectively.
- Directly states that both paintings are "huge" and provides the specific dimensions for both
- This emphasizes their shared characteristic of being large-scale artworks
- Matches our prethinking about focusing on their concrete similarity in size
Leutze's painting depicts Revolutionary War soldiers, while Monkman's depicts Indigenous people and refugees.
- Contrasts the subject matter of the two paintings
- Uses "while" to set up an explicit comparison highlighting differences
- This directly opposes the goal of emphasizing similarity