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The Art World

One of the major problems in the art world is how to distinguish and promote an artist. In effect, a market must be created for an artist to be successful. The practice of signing and numbering individual prints was introduced by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, the nineteenth- century artist best known for the painting of his mother, called “Arrangement in Grey and Black,” but known to most of us as “Whistler’s Mother.” (A) Whistler’s brother-in-law. Sir Francis Seymour Haden, a less well-known artist, had speculated that collectors might find prints more attractive if they knew that there were only a limited number of copies produced. (D) By signing the work in pencil, an artist could guarantee and personalise each print. (I)

As soon as Whistler and Haden began the practice of signing and numbering their prints, their work began to increase in value. (B) When other artists noticed that the signed prints commanded higher prices, they began copying the procedure. (II)

Although most prints are signed on the right-hand side in the margin below the image, the placement of the signature is a matter of personal choice. Indeed, prints have been signed within the image, in any of the margins, or even on the reverse side of the print. (C) Wherever the artist elects to sign it, a signed print is still valued above an unsigned one, even in the same edition. (III)

[question text="Which of the following would be a better title for the passage? " answers=" Whistler’s Mother#Whistler’s Greatest Works#*The Practice of Signing Prints#Copying Limited Edition Prints "]

[question text="What made Whistler’s work more valuable? " answers=" His fame as an artist#His painting of his mother#*His signature on the prints#His brother-in-law's prints "]

[question text="The word “speculated” in Part I is closest in meaning to " answers=" *guessed#noticed#denied#announced "]

[question text="The word “distinguish” in Part I is closest in meaning to " answers=" *recognize differences#make improvements#allow exceptions#accept changes "]

[question text="The word “it" in Part III refers to" answers=" the same edition#the image#the reverse side#*a print "]

[question text="Where in the passage does the author indicate where an artist’s signature might be found on a work? " answers=" Lines A#Lines B#*Lines C#Lines D "]

[question text="What does the author mean by the statement in Part II: “As soon as Whistler and Haden began the practice of signing and numbering their prints, their work began to increase in value”? " answers=" *The prints that were signed and numbered were worth more.#The signing and numbering of prints was not very popular.#The signatures became more valuable than the prints.#Many copies of the prints were made. "]

[question text="What was true about the painting of Whistler’s mother? " answers=" It was painted by Sir Francis Seymour Haden.#*Its title was “Arrangement in Grey and Black”.#It was not one of Whistler’s best paintings.#It was a completely new method of painting. "]

[question text="The author mentions all of the following as reasons why a collector prefers a signed print EXCEPT " answers=" it guarantees the print’s Authenticity#it makes the print more personal#it encourages higher prices for the print#*it limits the number of copies of the print "]

[question text="It can be inferred from the passage that artists number their prints " answers=" as an accounting procedure#*to guarantee a limited edition#when the buyer requests it#at the same place on each of the prints "]

 

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