Ok, I'll start by breaking down the passage. If I have time later, I'll go thru the questions.

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"Luminism, the 19th century American painting style characterized by the effects of light on bucolic landscapes, has undergone a critical reassessment in recent years.
There was this style of painting called Luminism from the 19th century. Recently, critics are reassessing it.

This realist stylistic offshoot of the Hudson River School, which was itself an evolution of Romanticism, uses aerial perspective and non-diffuse light to produce paintings that critics have long regarded as straightforward reflections of nature."
Fancy sounding background information about Luminism which critics used to think was just normal art about nature.

However, more recent study has given rise to the notion that these “reflective” paintings are more nuanced than was previously understood.
The "however" indicates a turning point. The old view of the of the Luminist art was critically reassessed and now scholars think that the paintings are more than just simple paintings.

While acknowledging that Luminist works do accurately depict the landscapes of America during that era of the nation's development, this newer paradigm holds that Luminist images are also totemic to the collective desire for calm, tranquility, and a naturalist perspective amidst a nation undergoing a transformative, sometimes tumultuous industrial revolution.
The new view about Luminism admits that while they are paintings about nature, they also have symbolic elements to them. They also were intended to show that there was a desire by Americans to return to the calmer, more calmer times when people lived peacefully with nature.

How conscious and consistent this symbolism truly was would make for a more involved discussion. At the same time, anyone with a general grasp of American art history or a canny understanding of literature in the Civil War era will recognize the significance of such persistent showcasing of grand landscapes and recognize schemes of light and shadow that provide insight into more than merely geography.
This supports for the new view about Luminism.

Reinforcing this interpretation of Luminism is the late-1970s work of Howard Zinn, who published a comprehensive account of life and social foci of the American people that supports the Industrial Revolution-era societal conception of nature as a diminishing resource.
More support.

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The unresolved issue, however, with the competing meta-opinions of researchers like Zinn is the stubborn assessment of the varying levels at which the artists themselves would have placed the symbolism.
Uh oh, this does not sound like the author likes this aspect of the new view. That is, how some researches try to compete with each other to prove that they discovered the artist's true symbolism.

Critics of the postmodern era typically regard the paintings as largely symbolic. However, not every landscape is a reflection of the era’s societal opinions or an homage to nineteenth century conceptions of divinity.
These critics have a tendency to see all paintings as symbolic. But sometimes a landscapes just a landscape; not a symbol for public opinion of the time nor a symbol with religious significance.

Certainly, not every unspoiled shoreline portrayed by John Frederick Kensett is to be interpreted with the same level of allegorical discernment as the most allegorical works of the Renaissance. Similarly, not every pristine mountain painted by Sanford Robinson Gifford is equivalent to Mt. Fuji in Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa; not every body of water is a pool of longing.
Support for this new view that maybe scholars are being overzealous in attributing symbolic meaning to Luminist paintings.

To persist, as Jones does, that the fisherman awaiting the impending rain in Heade’s painting Approaching Thunderstorm primarily symbolizes “the American farmer intently observing the destruction caused by the Industrial Revolution” is to ignore the myriad facets of meaning present, even though, to be sure, the painting is indeed multifaceted in a way that is conducive to significant symbolism.
This guy named Jones (who's probably an art scholar) says that this one Luminist painting has only one symbolic meaning. But the author thinks doing that neglects other potential symbolism in the paintings. The paintings may be more complex and nuanced in meaning.

Modern art historians may find pervasive symbolism present in these works and draw large scale conclusions about sentiment at the time; as Zinn did before them, these contemporary scholars might very well point to significant social and economic change as the force behind an artistic movement.
Sure there might be a patterns of symbolism to be found in the paintings.

However, the true root—or roots—of a divergent style during a turbulent historical turn can hardly be deduced conclusively. To suggest otherwise is to gloss over the individual efforts and regional sentiments that provide finer context to Luminism.
Nevertheless, any patterns of symbolism should be taken for should just support the understanding of Luminism, not make definitive statements about what is or isn't the true symbolic meaning of Luminist art.

Sir, You did an outstanding job

Thank you so much for your effort, brother... r1smith

Thank you, sir. This forum has helped me improve my GRE-related skills since I first started studying for the GRE.

Glad to finally be able to give back and help others the way I was helped.



1. The author discusses the “unresolved issue” in modern interpretations of Luminism primarily in order to
Let's start by decoding the question to see what they are really asking us. First, what is this issue? Let's go to where it's mentioned in the passage.

"The unresolved issue, however, with the competing meta-opinions of researchers like Zinn is the stubborn assessment of the varying levels at which the artists themselves would have placed the symbolism.
Uh oh, this does not sound like the author likes this aspect of the new view. Some researches try to compete with each other to prove that they discovered the artist's true symbolism. This is good, but we need a bit more, I think.

"However, the true root—or roots—of a divergent style during a turbulent historical turn can hardly be deduced conclusively. To suggest otherwise is to gloss over the individual efforts and regional sentiments that provide finer context to Luminism.
Nevertheless, any patterns of symbolism should be taken for should just support the understanding of Luminism, not make definitive statements about what is or isn't the true symbolic meaning of Luminist art.

So why is the author making a big deal about this "unresolved issue?" Well, he says that is impossible to know the painter's intentions definitively.

I think we are on to something; let's try to answer the question.

1. The author discusses the “unresolved issue” in modern interpretations of Luminism primarily in order to

A) establish how competing opinions about Luminist art prove the movement’s postmodern nature.
Trap answer. If u only used the first sentence to answer, u might choose this one. However, it says a lot of the right words but it doesn't really describe what the author is upset about.
B) resolve the debate concerning the presence of symbols in Luminist art.
The author doesn't want to resolve the debate about symbolism. He/she wants the discussion of symbolism to be "more nuanced" because in one painting there "can be myriad facets of meaning present."
C) suggest that an artist’s intentions cannot be determined solely by analyzing the purported symbology in their work.
Yes, this what the whole second paragraph is about!
D)introduce a theory about social and economic changes and their effects on an artist’s work.
No such theory is mentioned in the second paragraph.
E) evaluate the assertion that Luminist art is a response to nature’s diminishment in the wake of industrial development.
This assertion by Jones was mentioned once as an example of what the author doesn't like about the postmodern interpretation of Luminist paintings.


2. Which of the following statements about artistic movements in the 1800s can be inferred from the passage? Select all that apply.

A) Post-Civil War art engaged with darkness as a response to the calamity of the war itself.
The Civil War, not Post-Civil war era is mentioned as using "schemes of light and shadow," so we can't make this inference
B) Certain visual features of Romanticism influenced American artwork of the era.
Yes, from the passage: "This realist stylistic offshoot of the Hudson River School, which was itself an evolution of Romanticism."
C)Luminist paintings most commonly depicted parts of the nation that were relatively untouched by human development.
"Yep, from the passage: "Luminism, the 19th century American painting style characterized by . . . bucolic landscapes"


3. The last sentence of Paragraph 1 most clearly plays which of the following roles within the passage?

"However, the true root—or roots—of a divergent style during a turbulent historical turn can hardly be deduced conclusively. To suggest otherwise is to gloss over the individual efforts and regional sentiments that provide finer context to Luminism."
Nevertheless, any patterns of symbolism should be taken for should just support the understanding of Luminism, not make definitive statements about what is or isn't the true symbolic meaning of Luminist art.

This was the toughest of the questions (for me at, least)

3. The last sentence of Paragraph 1 most clearly plays which of the following roles within the passage?

A) It summarizes the main contentions of modern critics with respect to Luminist art.
It summarizes the main contention of only one modern critic: the author of the passage.
B) It offers an example of a source that corroborates contemporary thinking about Luminism.
Yes, it offers the author's opinion about Luminism which can be considered contemporary for the purpose of the test.
C) It contradicts a claim introduced earlier regarding the origins of Luminist painting.
No contradiction is made and the origins are both known and mentioned in the first paragraph (i.e. the Hudson River School)
D) It supports one interpretation of Luminism while directly contradicting another interpretation.
Trap answer. It doesn't contradict the other interpretation that the symbolism in Luminism can be clearly defined, it qualifies that interpretation; meaning it weakens it.
E) It rejects the “more nuanced discussion” contemplated earlier in the paragraph.
No, it actually supports the more nuanced discussion.


4. The author of the passage would most likely endorse which of the following claims about Luminist art as a whole?

A) Luminists used a highly consistent set of symbols to convey specific ideas about nature and industrialization.
The author's whole second paragraph is about how he/she dislikes this approach to analyzing Luminist paintings.
B) The greatest works of Luminism rival those produced during the European Renaissance.
The Renaissance is mentioned, but only as a comparison of what Luminism is not.
C) Luminist art primarily served to communicate a set of beliefs about American life in the nineteenth century.
Again, this is what the author is opposed to.
D) Luminism responded to the cultural and societal changes of its era, but the exact nature of that response is still open to debate.
E) The use of allegory is one of the defining features of Luminist compositions.
Allegory is a fancy way of saying symbolism. See explanations for answer choices A & D.

5. As it is used when describing Luminism as a subset of the Hudson River School, the word “realist” most closely means:
It say that the paintings are "straightforward reflections of nature" and that "Luminist works do accurately depict the landscapes. What word choice best fits in this context?

Let's substitute the words below in the original sentence

A) romantic
No, they mention Romanticism later in the sentence, so it would be incorrect to refer to it twice in this way.
B) contemporary
It is a 19th century style of painting; definitely not contemporary.
C)derivative
This is too negative a word. It can be inferred that Luminism is somewhat derivative (it is an "offshoot" of a certain school of art), but this word doesn't fit the context very well.
D) practical
Close to the right meaning but not quite.
E)representational
Yes, this makes sense.


6. The author of the passage would most likely challenge which of the following assertions if made by an art historian? Select all that apply.

A)Storms in the work of Luminist painters inevitably represent the social turmoil of the industrial revolution.
The word inevitably indicates that this is the one true meaning of the Luminist paintings, something the author argues against.
B) American Luminist painters may have been aware of, and perhaps even influenced by, such nearly contemporary Japanese painters as Hokusai.
This is equivocal language meaning they may or may not have been influenced by Hokusai. The author mentions him, which isn't without reason. So maybe it is possible that he was an influence for some Luminists, especially because his paintings are mentioned as being full of symbolism.
C) Luminism is properly regarded as an art movement concerned, first and foremost, with symbolism.
The phrase first and foremost makes this something the author would challenge