What does the Duke proudly point out to a visitor?

• A. The Duchess's charitable works
• B. A landscape painting
• C. The portrait of his former wife
• D. The marriage contract

Answer: (C)

In this moment, the main idea is power and possession. The Duke asserts control by showing a tangible symbol of his wife’s life—her portrait. As he leads the visitor to the wall, he says that the Duchess is “painted on the wall, looking as if she were alive.” The painting becomes a display of status, taste, and ownership: a way for him to curate how others see his wife and, by extension, his own authority.

He uses the portrait to imply that the Duchess’s behavior—she enjoyed praise and flattery from others—was unacceptable to him, and that he could command her reputation and even sever the relationship if needed. So the painting isn’t just art; it’s a statement of control and social standing.

The other options don’t fit because nothing in the scene points to charitable works, a landscape painting, or a marriage contract. The object being pointed to is clearly the portrait of his former wife, the Duchess.