Digital PSAT Reading and Writing Practice Question 79: Answer and Explanation

Question: 79

By painting the idle vacationers from behind, and obscuring any visible faces in the impressionist-landscape style, Boudin's patrons could purchase premade a work articulating the mood, activity, colors and locale of their holiday without the monetary and temporal obstacles of a traditional, commissioned painting. For comparison, Renoir's painting of models from the rear-far from making the work more commercially viable-was executed as a stylistic affront to classical notions of portraiture. Suffice to say that Boudin's mercantile techniques were, at least among the impressionists, rather unique.

The selection serves to demonstrate that the primary aspect of Boudin's work that made it distinct from those of his contemporaries was its

• A. economic viability.
• B. impressionist style.
• C. focus on natural landscapes.
• D. affront to common sensibilities.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

(A) Boudin's works were economically viable, i.e., they could be sold to consumers successfully, because he painted the vacationers and locations in a way that enabled them to capture the essence of their destinations without having to pay the added expense of a customized painting. Choices (B) and (C) would be widely applicable to most all impressionist art, and choice (D) would apply to certain artists other than Boudin.