Painted by the Dutch master Johannes Vermeer in 1665, “Girl with a Pearl Earring” is renowned as one of the most recognized paintings in Western art. The work takes its name from the unknown girl’s pearl earring. SAT test writers, however, are far more interested in the striking ultramarine color Vermeer used in the girl’s headscarf.
Ultramarine is a deep blue pigment derived from lapis lazuli a stone found in a remote region of Afghanistan. The name ultramarine is a reference to the color’s origin in a land literally beyond the sea. The rare semi-precious stone made ultramarine a prized pigment that was even more expensive than gold.
Because of its great expense, artists traditionally reserved ultramarine for clothing worn by Christ and the Virgin Mary. But Vermeer broke from this tradition with his generous use of this rare pigment in a painting devoted to a commoner. SAT test writers want to know what prompted Vermeer to use this expensive pigment.
Good question! Vermeer’s use of ultramarine contributed to financial struggles that plagued his career. The SAT passage speculates that Vermeer was MOTIVATED or influenced by a combination of factors that included the pigment’s durability, exclusiveness, and beauty.
MOTIVATED is a relatively easy word. So why was it the answer to a Module 2 vocabulary in contest question? The answer may lie in one of the questions difficult but plausible wrong answers. For example, many students assumed MOTIVATED was “too easy” and instead chose the much more challenging word PREEMPTED. PREEMPT describes strategic actions designed to prevent something from occurring.
BEWARE! PREEMPT has recently become a WRONG answer on a number of test questions.
EXTRA CREDIT – Mr. Chmiel’s FJC students should have no trouble coming up with examples of MOTIVATED and PREEMPT. For example, the original Jamestown settlers were MOTIVATED by a desire to find gold. James Madison devised the “Virginia Plan” to PREEMPT the plans of delegates at the Constitutional Convention who wanted to amend the Articles of Confederation.
MOTIVATED – caused or influenced by something
PREEMPT – a strategic action to prevent something from happening