Logical Reasoning

PT16 · S3 · Q10 Michelangelo’s sixteenth-century Sistine Chapel

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

  • Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one

  • Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step

  • 81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

Michelangelo’s sixteenth-century Sistine Chapel paintings are currently being restored.

Given that ...

The goal of this restoration is to remove additions made by later artists so that Michelangelo's original work can be seen.

Why is it that ...

They aren't removing additions that were painted by da Volterra?

Evaluate / Goal

We basically need an answer that makes da Volterra's additions different from those of other painters, while relating to the stated goal of trying to uncover Michelangelo's original work.

Maybe da Volterra's additions in some way still count as being part of or contributing to Michelangelo's original work?

10.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to reconcile the restorers’ decision with the goal stated in the passage?

  1. Correct

    The restorers believe that da

    Why this is right

    Well, this was a surprising answer. We expect to be surprised on Paradox, so we don't want to get too attached to any prediction we have. The reason they're not removing da Volterra's additions is that there isn't any of Michelangelo's paint underneath them. In all the other spots, if they remove the layer of paint that a painter added after Michelangelo was done, then they can reveal the layer of paint beneath that Michelangelo had painted. But da Volterra removed all paint before he added his layer, so if they remove da Volterra's they'll just get bare wall/ceiling, which would not be a good look for the overall mural. We would see Michelangelo's original work with a few blank holes from where we stripped away da Volterra's paint. This answer is suggesting that all the other painted additions were painted on top of a layer of Michelangelo's painting, whereas da Volterra's additions were painted on blank wall.

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

    66% picked this

  2. Because da Volterra used a

    Doesn't Reconcile with Goal

    So what if he used more muted colors than others? Our goal was to see what Michelangelo painted. So shouldn't we be removing da Volterra's paint so that we can see colors Michelangelo chose underneatH?

    6% picked this

  3. Da Volterra’s additions were painted

    Too Weak

    Maybe a bunch of the later painters painted in a style that was similar to Michelangelo's. It seems likely that any painter adding to Michelangelo's work would try to blend in with it. This doesn't seem to clearly set da Volterra apart from others, and it seems like if our goal is to see what Michelangelo actually did, we would still want to drip away da Volterra's additions, even if they are similar.

    22% picked this

  4. Michelangelo is famous primarily for

    No Impact

    It doesn't matter if we even say that da Volterra was better at painting than Michelangelo was. Our goal is to uncover Michelangelo's original work (not necessarily because it's better than what got added, but just because we want to understand clearly what his original finished work looked like). If the goal were to have "the best version of the Sistine Chapel paintings", then maybe we would consider leaving some painters' additions on there if they seemed like improvements. But given our goal, this answer doesn't give us any reason to leave da Volterra's additions on there.

    1% picked this

  5. Da Volterra’s work is considered

    Opposite

    We're looking for something that would set da Volterra's work apart from those of the other painters, whose additions we are definitely removing. This answer makes them seem more similar.

    4% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill
LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free