LR Question 24 Explanation
QUESTION TEXT: Until recently, experts have been unable to identify the…
QUESTION TYPE: Weaken
CONCLUSION: The artist who painted the self-portrait also painted the battle scene
REASONING: The self-portrait was dated to the same year the battle scene was painted, and resembles a figure in the battle scene.
ANALYSIS: This argument seems a bit thin. It could just be a coincidence that the figure in the battle scene resembles the self portrait. Or, since the artists in the self-portrait is well-known, someone else could’ve painted him into the battle scene. Other possibilities include that it’s narcissistic for an artist to put himself into a painting with other aristocrats.
___________
- This doesn’t seem to strengthen nor weaken the argument.
- Okay and so what? How does this weaken that the artist painted the battle scene? Also, this is talking about “most” of the figures in the painting so there is some wriggle room for the artist to paint himself into the painting.
- A battle scene would have many participants. Using live models doesn’t mean you use a live model for every person in the painting. The artist could easily have used live models and also included themselves.
- CORRECT. If it violated etiquette, then the artist wouldn’t have painted himself into a historical battle.
- This doesn’t weaken the argument. So what if the battle took place before the artist was born? The artist still knew about the battle, and it doesn’t stop him from painting himself in.
Recap: The question begins with “Until recently, experts have been unable to identify the”. It is a Weaken question. Learn more about LSAT Weaken questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.
More Resources for Weaken Questions
- Intro Course lesson: This intro course lesson covers Weaken questions.
- Mastery Seminar lesson: This LR Mastery seminar lesson covers weaken questions.
The explanation for answer C is wrong. How could a painter use themselves as a live model? They’re painting, they can’t pose and look at themselves as they paint. If they used a mirror, they wouldn’t be posing for a battle scene. Are you imagining they took a photo of themselves posing and then painted that?
In my view, answer C does weaken the argument but not as much as the correct answer D because C says “it was not uncommon,” rather than something stronger like painters almost always used live models (assuming the painter uses the models faces as well).
That’s a good critique, thank you! I’ve edited the explanation for C. Let me know if you still disagree or think it misses some nuances.
How would we know etiquette mattered to this guy at all?
We don’t. But this is a weaken question. You don’t have to destroy the question, instead you only have to weaken it. Making the insertion a breach of etiquette does reduce the odds it was done, because most people do obey etiquete.