While I support art, love art, and adore art, and really do hate to criticize, what makes me so mad, is that this hideous work that doesn't display either real true talent, intellect, or a hint of a master's shadow, claims over 9 million at the auction house when you can still buy a Bouguereau painting for under a million. It's the art world's distorted vision of what is great that has me in such a quandary.
Travis had it so right in an earlier post, people with money often times are easily led into art by way of the wrong influences and no taste or true understanding of real art. I am beginning to believe that museums are too - they are lead by the populace. I always believe that these artists did this weird work simply because they couldn't do truly good art. Why else would a "gimmick" need to be involved? And you have guys out there like Virgil who have real talent getting nowhere near 9 million for their work when they should receive more recognition than someone that produces this stuff! And Dali and Warhol with Bouguereau in their collections, while they scurry to sell their own work.. that speaks volumes.
Picasso would be nothing weren't it for some serious and grandiose promotion... Bouguereau has stood the test of time, and if I had money, I'd put my money on Bouguereau every time.. I think eventually the art world will wake up and realize what a master really is - at least I hope so.. for all our sakes.
Karen Watkins
Taube Fine Arts & Antiques
