Question

on a spring day in 1917, art critic frederick samuelson was reviewing submissions for the society of independent artists exhibition in new york city when he came across an entry titled fountain. the piece, signed r. mutt, was a porcelain urinal turned on its back, with no alterations beyond the signature. he paused, puzzled by the object before him. it had been submitted by marcel duchamp, a well - known artist and key figure in the growing avant - garde movement in the art world. was it a prank, a critique, or an earnest attempt at art? the simplicity of the piece left him uneasy, as if the very notion of art itself were being called into question, or even treated with the seriousness it deserves. for samuelson, and many others, fountain was a baffling enigma, one that demanded deeper contemplation. fountain was rejected by the exhibition organizers, despite the societys proclaimed policy of accepting all works submitted by its members. the organizers argued that it lacked artistic merit and was offensive to the public. however, duchamps goal was not to create something traditionally beautiful or skillful. he wanted to shift the focus of art from craftsmanship to concept. in his view, an artists choice alone could transform an object into art. by signing fountain and placing it in the context of an art exhibition, duchamp redefined the boundaries of art and challenged audiences to reconsider their assumptions. art historian peter bürger later described duchamps piece as an assault on the art establishment. fountain was not designed to be aesthetically pleasing, nor was it intended to evoke emotion through skillful techniques. instead, it served as an example of what bürger referred to as art by designation, a process where the act of choosing and presenting an object transforms it into art. duchamp, he believed, argued that art should not be limited to paintings or sculptures created with painstaking effort. by elevating a mass - produced urinal to the status of art, ideas and context can hold as much weight as physical creation. question: the author of the passage most likely includes the anecdote in the first paragraph in order to: a. introduce samuelson as a critic who regularly criticized duchamps art. b. provide a sense of what seeing fountain for the first time might be like for an art critic. c. establish duchamps importance to the dada movement by describing a piece that won an award at an exhibition. d. describe how well - known duchamp was when he submitted fountain to the society of independent artists exhibition.

Explanation:

The anecdote about art - critic Frederick Samuelson in the first paragraph is used to introduce the initial reaction of an art - critic to Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain", providing a sense of what seeing "Fountain" for the first time might be like for an art - critic. It sets the stage for the discussion of Duchamp's work and its significance.

Answer:

B. provide a sense of what seeing Fountain for the first time might be like for an art critic.