When Thomas Hoving,former Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,first

When Thomas Hoving,former Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art,first saw a fine scene-painted ancient Greek terra cotta vase,he said,"The first thought that came to mind was [that] I was gazing not at a vase,but at a painting." This is indicative of __________.

A)  ​his great respect for Greek treasures 
B)  ​an art world prejudice that places less importance on functional objects 
C)  ​the incredible rarity of a signed Greek vase 
D)  ​the inferior form of the vase itself 
E)  ​the fact that the incredible painting overshadowed the form of the vase