LSAT Explanation PT 33, S3, Q6: The recent cleaning of frescoes in

LSAT Question Stem

Which one of the following principles, if valid, most helps to justify the art historians' reasoning? 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Principle question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The passage discusses the recent cleaning of frescoes in the Sistine Chapel which has caused art historians to become aware that the colors of the works they study may differ from the works' original colors. From this, art historians have concluded that interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the restoration may no longer be appropriate. The structure of the argument is as follows:

Premise: The colors of the works art historians study may differ from the works' original colors.

Conclusion: Interpretations of the frescoes that seemed appropriate before the frescoes' restoration may no longer be appropriate.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be: "Are the colors of the frescoes relevant to their interpretation?"

Now, let's discuss the question type and answer choices. The question type is a Principle question, which asks us to identify the principle that most helps to justify the art historians' reasoning. The correct answer is C.

a) The appropriateness of an interpretation of an artwork is relative to the general history of the period in which the interpretation is made.

- This answer choice does not address the issue of colors affecting the interpretation of the frescoes. It focuses on the general history of the period, which is not relevant to the argument.

b) The restoration of an artwork may alter it such that it will have colors that the artist did not intend for it to have.

- This answer choice is incorrect because it does not address the gap between the change in colors and the appropriateness of the interpretations. It only provides additional information about the potential effects of restoration on the colors of an artwork, which does not help justify the art historians' reasoning.

c) The colors of an artwork are relevant to an appropriate interpretation of that work.

- This answer choice is correct because it directly addresses the gap in the argument by stating that the colors of an artwork are relevant to its interpretation. This means that if the colors have changed, it is reasonable to conclude that the previous interpretations may no longer be appropriate.

d) Art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork.

- This answer choice does not address the issue of colors affecting the interpretation of the frescoes. It only states that art historians are the best judges of the value of an artwork, which is not relevant to the argument.

e) Interpretations of an artwork are appropriate if they originated during the period when the work was created.

- This answer choice does not address the issue of colors affecting the interpretation of the frescoes. It only provides a condition for when interpretations are appropriate, which is not relevant to the argument.

In conclusion, answer choice C is the correct answer because it addresses the gap in the argument by stating that the colors of an artwork are relevant to its interpretation. This helps justify the art historians' reasoning that if the colors have changed, the previous interpretations may no longer be appropriate.