CAT 2022 Slot 1 — VARC Question 13
The passage below is accompanied by a set of questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
The Chinese have two different concepts of a copy. Fangzhipin . . . are imitations where the difference from the original is obvious. These are small models or copies that can be purchased in a museum shop, for example. The second concept for a copy is fuzhipin . . . They are exact reproductions of the original, which, for the Chinese, are of equal value to the original. It has absolutely no negative connotations. The discrepancy with regard to the understanding of what a copy is has often led to misunderstandings and arguments between China and Western museums. The Chinese often send copies abroad instead of originals, in the firm belief that they are not essentially different from the originals. The rejection that then
comes from the Western museums is perceived by the Chinese as an insult. . . .
The Far Eastern notion of identity is also very confusing to the Western observer. The Ise Grand Shrine [in Japan] is 1,300 years old for the millions of Japanese people who go there on pilgrimage every year. But in reality this temple complex is completely rebuilt from scratch every 20 years. . . .
The cathedral of Freiburg Minster in southwest Germany is covered in scaffolding almost all year round. The sandstone from which it is built is a very soft, porous material that does not withstand natural erosion by rain and wind. After a while, it crumbles. As a result, the cathedral is continually being examined for damage, and eroded stones are replaced. And in the cathedral’s dedicated workshop, copies of the damaged sandstone figures are constantly being produced. Of course, attempts are made to preserve the stones from the Middle Ages for as long as possible. But at some point they, too, are removed and replaced with new stones.
Fundamentally, this is the same operation as with the Japanese shrine, except in this case the production of a replica takes place very slowly and over long periods of time. . . . In the field of art as well, the idea of an unassailable original developed historically in the Western world. Back in the 17th century [in the West], excavated artworks from antiquity were treated quite differently from today. They were not restored in a way that was faithful to the original. Instead, there was massive intervention in these works, changing their appearance. . . .
It is probably this intellectual position that explains why Asians have far fewer scruples about cloning than Europeans. The South Korean cloning researcher Hwang Woo-suk, who attracted worldwide attention with his cloning experiments in 2004, is a Buddhist. He found a great deal of support and followers among Buddhists, while Christians called for a ban on human cloning. . . . Hwang legitimised his cloning experiments with his religious affiliation: ‘I am Buddhist, and I have no philosophical problem with cloning. And as you know, the basis of Buddhism is that life is recycled through reincarnation. In some ways, I think, therapeutic cloning restarts the circle of life.’
Based on the passage, which one of the following copies would a Chinese museum be unlikely to consider as having less value than the original?
Answer & solution
Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, identical in every respect.
- B
Pablo Picasso’s painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, bearing Picasso’s signature.
- C
Pablo Picasso’s miniaturised, but otherwise faithful and accurate painting of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting.
- D
Pablo Picasso’s photograph of Vincent van Gogh’s original painting, printed to exactly the same scale.
Easy
The question asks which copy a Chinese museum would not rank below the original — i.e. which one qualifies as fuzhipin, an exact reproduction the Chinese hold to be of equal value to the original. So we need the option that is a faithful, full, like-for-like reproduction. Anything that is a different medium, a different scale, or marked as someone else's work fails the "exact reproduction" test.
A painting "identical in every respect" to the original — same medium (a painting of a painting), same scale, nothing altered. This is precisely the fuzhipin idea of an exact reproduction, so it would be treated as equal in value. Correct.
A painting that bears Picasso's own signature. By signing it as his, it is presented as a distinct, attributed work rather than a faithful reproduction of the original — it is no longer an "exact reproduction." Wrong.
A miniaturised copy. Faithful in detail but reduced in scale — a small model, which is exactly the fangzhipin the passage describes (an imitation whose difference from the original is obvious). Not an exact reproduction. Wrong.
A photograph of the painting. Even at exact scale, it switches medium from painting to photo, so the difference from the original is plain — again fangzhipin, not an equal-value exact reproduction. Wrong.
Option A — only the painting that is identical in every respect meets the fuzhipin standard of an exact reproduction held equal to the original.