Critical Reasoning

In 1886, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh began to exhibit simple, elegant lines and vivid colors. Art historians explain this change as the incorporation of another culture's artistic tradition and argue on this basis that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art at this time.

Each of the following, if true, provides some support for the art historians' account described above EXCEPT:

(A) Black contours typical of Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work from 1886 on but at no earlier time.

(B) Van Gogh's notebooks dating from the inception of his art career until 1885 contain hundreds of sketches for paintings, none of which exhibit the style distinctive to Japanese artwork.

(C) A thriving market for Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints existed in Paris, where Van Gogh settled in early 1886.

(D) Bridge in the Rain, which Van Gogh painted in 1885, exhibited striking similarities to Sudden Rain at Ohashi Bridge by Japanese print master Hiroshige.

(E) Some of Van Gogh's sketches were drawn using a reed shaped into a quill, a traditional Japanese instrument Van Gogh began to use in 1886.

bvn wrote:In 1886, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh began to exhibit simple, elegant lines and vivid colors. Art historians explain this change as the incorporation of another culture's artistic tradition and argue on this basis that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art at this time.

Each of the following, if true, provides some support for the art historians' account described above EXCEPT:

IMO D

We need to find an option which does not support the conclusion. As per conclusion we know that the Influence of Japanese culture should be present on the Artist (Directly/Indirectly) beginning in 1886.

Come to Options:

(A) Black contours typical of Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work from 1886 on but at no earlier time.

(B) Van Gogh's notebooks dating from the inception of his art career until 1885 contain hundreds of sketches for paintings, none of which exhibit the style distinctive to Japanese artwork.

(C) A thriving market for Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints existed in Paris, where Van Gogh settled in early 1886.

(D) Bridge in the Rain, which Van Gogh painted in 1885, exhibited striking similarities to Sudden Rain at Ohashi Bridge by Japanese print master Hiroshige.

(E) Some of Van Gogh's sketches were drawn using a reed shaped into a quill, a traditional Japanese instrument Van Gogh began to use in 1886.

All other options except D says about either the Japanese essence at 1886 or No essence before 1886 (I mean 1885)

Option D not only does not support the conclusion but also weakens the same.

bvn wrote:In 1886, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh began to exhibit simple, elegant lines and vivid colors. Art historians explain this change as the incorporation of another culture's artistic tradition and argue on this basis that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art at this time.

Each of the following, if true, provides some support for the art historians' account described above EXCEPT:

(A) Black contours typical of Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work from 1886 on but at no earlier time.

(B) Van Gogh's notebooks dating from the inception of his art career until 1885 contain hundreds of sketches for paintings, none of which exhibit the style distinctive to Japanese artwork.

(C) A thriving market for Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints existed in Paris, where Van Gogh settled in early 1886.

(D) Bridge in the Rain, which Van Gogh painted in 1885, exhibited striking similarities to Sudden Rain at Ohashi Bridge by Japanese print master Hiroshige.

(E) Some of Van Gogh's sketches were drawn using a reed shaped into a quill, a traditional Japanese instrument Van Gogh began to use in 1886.

My take is B.
The B tells us that the notebook has no sketch of japanese artwork.
It does not strengthen the conclusion that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art around 1886.

The rest of the answers strengthen the conclusion

A -- Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work
C -- Van gogh settled in an area where there was a market of japanese art
D -- Bridge in rain exhibited a rain at japanese bridge
E -- Van gogh used japanese intrument to draw sketched

D- weakens the argument.

one more for B

sharmasumitn1 wrote:

bvn wrote:In 1886, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh began to exhibit simple, elegant lines and vivid colors. Art historians explain this change as the incorporation of another culture's artistic tradition and argue on this basis that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art at this time.

Each of the following, if true, provides some support for the art historians' account described above EXCEPT:

(A) Black contours typical of Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work from 1886 on but at no earlier time.

(B) Van Gogh's notebooks dating from the inception of his art career until 1885 contain hundreds of sketches for paintings, none of which exhibit the style distinctive to Japanese artwork.

(C) A thriving market for Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints existed in Paris, where Van Gogh settled in early 1886.

(D) Bridge in the Rain, which Van Gogh painted in 1885, exhibited striking similarities to Sudden Rain at Ohashi Bridge by Japanese print master Hiroshige.

(E) Some of Van Gogh's sketches were drawn using a reed shaped into a quill, a traditional Japanese instrument Van Gogh began to use in 1886.

My take is B.
The B tells us that the notebook has no sketch of japanese artwork.
It does not strengthen the conclusion that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art around 1886.

The rest of the answers strengthen the conclusion

A -- Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work
C -- Van gogh settled in an area where there was a market of japanese art
D -- Bridge in rain exhibited a rain at japanese bridge
E -- Van gogh used japanese intrument to draw sketched

It should be D... i was thinking of B too... but a closer look suggests that B is kind of strenthening the q by saying that till 1885 he was not into Japanese art etc. and it was only in 1886 that he became interested in it....

bvn wrote:In 1886, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh began to exhibit simple, elegant lines and vivid colors. Art historians explain this change as the incorporation of another culture's artistic tradition and argue on this basis that Van Gogh became interested in Japanese art at this time.

Each of the following, if true, provides some support for the art historians' account described above EXCEPT:

(A) Black contours typical of Japanese Yamato-e paintings appear in Van Gogh's work from 1886 on but at no earlier time.

(B) Van Gogh's notebooks dating from the inception of his art career until 1885 contain hundreds of sketches for paintings, none of which exhibit the style distinctive to Japanese artwork.

(C) A thriving market for Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints existed in Paris, where Van Gogh settled in early 1886.

(D) Bridge in the Rain, which Van Gogh painted in 1885, exhibited striking similarities to Sudden Rain at Ohashi Bridge by Japanese print master Hiroshige.

(E) Some of Van Gogh's sketches were drawn using a reed shaped into a quill, a traditional Japanese instrument Van Gogh began to use in 1886.

Another vote for D

I'm going to go with D just because of the 1885 date else I would have picked C.

Just because there was a market for Japanese style paintings doesn't mean that Van Gogh became interested in incorporating that style into his paintings.

Whats the OA ?
Please explain why the OA is what it is

Ravish wrote:I'm going to go with D just because of the 1885 date else I would have picked C.

Just because there was a market for Japanese style paintings doesn't mean that Van Gogh became interested in incorporating that style into his paintings.

I agree with Ravish, and add further that the 1885 date in D is considered too minute to be of importance. The historian's reasoning is that the 1886 change in style was the result of the incorporation of another culture's traditions. The fact that the line of different paintings started only in 1886 does not mean that the incorporation, or interest in, Japanese art also began in 1886 per se. At the end of the day, the question we're trying to answer here is "was the change induced by an interest in the Japanese art?" D is an example of a Japanese art that Van Gogh seems to have been interested in, to the point of emulation, already in 1885, an example which strengthens the idea that Van Gogh was indeed interested in Japanese art before the change. Granted, it is possible that Van Gogh made bridge in the rain by accident without emulating the Ohashi bridge, but that is unlikely given the "striking similarities". In any case, the assumption that the similarities between the two paintings does indicate that Van Gogh emulated the Japanese picture in D is less far fetched that the series of assumptions that C requires in order to support the same account:

1) That Van Gogh was guided by commercial aspects to the point of changing his style to accommodate the market
2) That the market for woodblock prints (whatever they are) is the same as for paintings.

I believe the answer is C.