These Famous Art Pieces Which Critics Say are Overrated

Defining good and bad is highly subjective when defining artwork. What a person adores, another could detest. Throughout the history of mankind, thousands of paintings and artworks have been defined as among the best, especially artistes like Dali, van Gogh, Monet, Picasso and Vermeer. However some people believe that famous art pieces have been overrated over the years. As time passes by, the love/hate divide becomes wider with most people unable to appreciate these.

Andy Warhol’s pop Campbell Soup Cans

Creator: John Wronn | Copyright: Digital Image © 2015 MoMA, N.Y.

Andy Warhol is among the most experimental painters dabbling in pop art. The artistic world admires Andy’s Campbell Soup Cans artwork as extremely iconic and famous; but it’s pretty overrated. Warhol hasn’t done much apart from using a designed brand, and simply copied it. When created in 1962, it contradicted the world’s penchant for consumerism and proved its point. But today, it is just cans.

Jackson Pollock’s No. 5

When discussing art and artists, a certain level of skills involved is expected, especially if the artists are super-famous and known for creating some incredible paintings. But, Jackson Pollock lets us down this time. In 1948, Pollock created painting No. 5 which features an 8×4 fibre-board covered in red, brown, yellow, and other random colors of paint just flicked on a canvas. We are unable to make up our minds, but when it was finished, obviously something obscure was perceived in it that most couldn’t, and it sold for an incredible $140 million.

Vincent Van Gogh’s Cafe Terrace at Night

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Vincent Van Gogh is an absolute genius, but because everyone loves your work, doesn’t mean slacking off is allowed! This painting is a load of slack, as Van Gogh depicts 1880’s France, but fails to capture the romance, beauty, the rivers, the bridges, the unique cobbled streets, and beautiful people. Van Gogh paints a half-empty sidewalk surrounded by houses. Most consider it boring and uninspired.

Whistler’s Mother

James McNeill Whistler was always under-rated and critics hounded him; people either loved him or hated his work. To give him credit, some of his paintings were very exceptional. This particular painting, however, is rather underwhelming and overrated. This very dull depiction of his mother is rather bland, and it appears that she’s grumpy as he’s taking too long to paint her, or possibly she doesn’t like it either.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

Creator: MARTIN BUREAU | Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Don’t misunderstand us, Leonardo da Vinci will always be remembered as a genius and always has been among the most incredible artists in the world; his painting of “The Last Supper” will always have a place in history of art. However his painting of ”Mona Lisa” is rather famous, with art lovers and laymen visiting Paris to see La Giaconda’s mysterious smile. However, it is highly overrated. Though we appreciate the artistry and the detailed artwork, there is nothing very special about it, apart from the fact that some people say that her eyes follow you, as you move around the room!

So what is your opinion about these famous art pieces? Sublime or Overrated? Taste in art is so very personal and subjective that any agreement on what renders art ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is not possible. But you can possibly consider are the skill levels, creativity exhibited and the ingenuity that went into designing each piece.