Question

his 1974 work empress of the blues demonstrates this blend of visual and musical thinking. the collage portrays jazz legend bessie smith commanding the composition in a bright yellow skirt and floral print shirt. her dynamic presence anchors the composition like a strong melodic line. behind her, bearden arranged a dozen musicians in identical suits, their uniform appearance creating a visual rhythm that echoes jazz’s structured patterns. yet he disrupted this ordered background by positioning some musicians’ instruments at varying angles, translating jazz improvisation into visual form. this careful tension between pattern and variation reflects bearden’s broader artistic method: he selected and arranged diverse elements to create works that, like jazz itself, find freedom within structure.which of the following inferences is best supported by the details in the passage?given that bearden overheard jazz music from his studio, he likely developed his collage technique to visually capture specific moments from the live music he heard.given that bearden combined varied materials into unified compositions, he likely wanted to illustrate how collage is superior to traditional artistic methods.given that empress of the blues prominently features bessie smith, bearden likely prioritized musical influences over purely visual considerations.given that empress of the blues blends consistent elements with unexpected changes, bearden likely valued art that balances familiar patterns with striking deviations.

Explanation:

1. Analyze Option 1: The passage doesn't mention Bearden overhearing jazz from his studio or developing collage technique to capture live music moments. Eliminate.
2. Analyze Option 2: The passage has no comparison between collage and traditional artistic methods. Eliminate.
3. Analyze Option 3: The passage focuses on the blend of visual and musical, not prioritizing musical over visual. Eliminate.
4. Analyze Option 4: The passage says Bearden's work has "careful tension between pattern and variation" and "find freedom within structure", and "Empress of the Blues" blends consistent (pattern) and unexpected (variation) elements. This matches the idea of art balancing familiar patterns with striking deviations.

Answer:

D. Given that Empress of the Blues blends consistent elements with unexpected changes, Bearden likely valued art that balances familiar patterns with striking deviations.