Viewers may have a strong response to Meret Oppenheim's Object because of its actual texture.

• A. Color
• B. Actual texture
• C. Pattern
• D. Scale

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how the tangible surface quality of an object—the texture you could feel—drives a strong viewer response. Meret Oppenheim’s Object uses fur to cover a teacup, a familiar domestic item, which instantly disrupts how we expect it to feel and function. That actual texture is the catalyst: you’re not just looking at fur on a cup, you’re being invited to imagine touching it, which is both luxurious and unsettling. The softness of the fur contrasts with the rigid idea of a teacup, making the piece feel uncanny and provocative. This tactile surprise is why the work provokes such a strong reaction, more so than its color, pattern, or size would alone. Surrealist aims often hinge on marrying ordinary objects with unexpected materials to jolt perception, and the real texture is central to that effect.