Italian painters in the 1500s rarely depicted themselves in their work. Even more rare were self-portrait paintings that portrayed the artist as a painter. At the time, painting was not yet respected as a profession, so painters mostly chose to emphasize other qualities in their self-portraits, like their intellect or social status. In the city of Bologna, the first artist to depict themself painting was a man named Annibale Carracci. A painting of his from around 1585 shows Carracci in front of an easel holding a palette.
Text 2
In their self-portraits, Bolognese artists typically avoided referring to the act of painting until the mid-1600s. However, Lavinia Fontana’s 1577 painting, Self-Portrait at the Keyboard, stands out as the earliest example of such a work by an artist from Bologna. Although the artist is depicted playing music, in the background, one can spot a painting easel by a window.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the underlined claim in Text 1?
Choose 1 answer:
Choose 1 answer:
(Choice A) Self-Portrait at the Keyboard was painted earlier than Carracci’s painting and also refers to the artist’s craft.
A
Self-Portrait at the Keyboard was painted earlier than Carracci’s painting and also refers to the artist’s craft.
(Choice B) Carracci and Fontana were among the most well-respected painters in Bologna at the time.
B
Carracci and Fontana were among the most well-respected painters in Bologna at the time.
(Choice C) Fontana likely inspired the reference to an easel and palette in Carracci’s painting.
C
Fontana likely inspired the reference to an easel and palette in Carracci’s painting.
(Choice D) The depiction of Fontana in Self-Portrait at the Keyboard was intended to underscore the artist’s creativity.
D
The depiction of Fontana in Self-Portrait at the Keyboard was intended to underscore the artist’s creativity.
1 answer
The best answer based on the texts would be:
(Choice A) Self-Portrait at the Keyboard was painted earlier than Carracci’s painting and also refers to the artist’s craft.
This choice directly addresses the underlined claim in Text 1 by pointing out that Lavinia Fontana's self-portrait predates Carracci's and indicates a reference to the artistic craft with the presence of an easel, contrasting the claim that Carracci was the first to depict himself painting.
