A 1955 analysis of paint samples

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct83% picked this

   The 2009 analysis revealed that cobalt was located only in the topmost paint layer, which was possibly applied to conceal

   Why this is right

   This is saying that the painting was produced before 1804, without any cobalt blue on it. But then years later, after 1804, they added cobalt to conceal damage to the original paint layers. The 1955 analysis was still sensible in thinking that, "if there's cobalt blue on here, then it must have come from after 1804". But the 2009 analysis may have been more sophisticated, and so it could tell that the cobalt blue wasn't from the original painting.

   Skill tested: Paradox · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   83%
2. B

   No Impact9% picked this

   The 2009 analysis used sophisticated scientific equipment that can detect much smaller amounts of cobalt than could the equipment

   The amount of cobalt discovered doesn't make any difference. Given that cobalt wasn't an option until 1804, whether you discover 2 mg or 50 mg of it, what's the difference? Either way, it would make you think that this painting didn't exist until after 1804.

   9%
3. C

   No Impact1% picked this

   The 2009 analysis took more samples from the painting than the 1955 analysis did, though

   The number of samples don't matter (especially when the answer says it was a greater number of samples but a smaller amount in each sample, so we don't even know which analysis ended up sampling more or less). Given that cobalt wasn't an option until 1804, whether you find cobalt in 2 samples or in 20 samples, you're still going to think that the painting didn't happen until after 1804.

   1%
4. D

   No Impact3% picked this

   Many experts, based on the style and the subject matter of the painting, have dated the

   This answer would pile on some support to the 2009 analysis, so now we have two voices saying the painting was made before 1804, but this answer doesn't reconcile anything with the 1955 analysis. Were they just wrong? Did they not discover cobalt? Was cobalt available earlier than 1804? This choice doesn't provide any answers that help us understand how something with cobalt could be from before 1804.

   3%
5. E

   No Impact4% picked this

   New information that came to light in the 1990s suggested that cobalt blue was used only rarely in Italy in

   The frequency with which cobalt was used after 1804 doesn't make any difference to us. From what we know, we don't think cobalt is an option prior to 1804, whereas this 2009 analysis says "this painting, which has cobalt on it, was produced prior to 1804". This answer hasn't given us any way to make sense of how a painting with cobalt on it could have been produced prior to 1804.

   4%