Critical Reasoning

During the nineteenth century, the French academy of
art was a major financial sponsor of painting and
sculpture in France; sponsorship by private individuals
had decreased dramatically by this time. Because the
academy discouraged innovation in the arts, there was
little innovation in nineteenth century French sculpture.
Yet nineteenth century French painting showed a
remarkable degree of innovation.
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to
explain the difference between the amount of
innovation in French painting and the amount of
innovation in French sculpture during the nineteenth
century?
(A) In France in the nineteenth century, the French
academy gave more of its financial support to
painting than it did to sculpture.
(B) The French academy in the nineteenth century
financially supported a greater number of
sculptors than painters, but individual painters
received more support, on average, than
individual sculptors.
(C) Because stone was so much more expensive
than paint and canvas, far more unsponsored
paintings were produced than were
unsponsored sculptures in France during the
nineteenth century.
(D) Very few of the artists in France in the
nineteenth century who produced sculptures
also produced paintings.
(E) Although the academy was the primary sponsor
of sculpture and painting, the total amount of
financial support that French sculptors and
painters received from sponsors declined
during the nineteenth century.