# Thought Experiment: Do You Like This Artist's Work **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404 "2011-11-19T00:58:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/21 "2011-11-19T03:36:02Z")
I voted “No, not really” and I guessed the artist by looking at the images. Like **FlyByNight512** I had seen a few before and the style combined with the somewhat heavy-handed OP tipped it. I don’t hate the work, it’s just kinda boring. Certainly above-average skill if you are ranking all of humanity in draftsmanship ability, but absolutely middle-of the road if you narrow it down to just the subset with some intentional art training or serious self-study. Knowing who the artist is changes my feeling only in that I’d be much less likely to want to hang a repro in my house than if the work was by a person I admired or cared for personally. This is relevant because if the work was by Joe or Jane Schmoe who I have no feelings about (positive or negative) I wouldn’t hang it, buy a book of it, spend much time in front of it in a gallery etc. I might feel more positively inclined toward work of similar aesthetic value if it was made by someone I admire (like say Hillary Clinton) or love (like my late grandfather). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/22 "2011-11-19T03:38:31Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Yep. It hits me at about the same level as Thomas Kinkade, which is barely at all. Better than I could do, but it’s pretty passionless. Kinkade has a lot more of a clear and focused viewpoint coming through in his work. A creepy and unpleasant viewpoint IMO, but it’s clear. This dude certainly had a clear viewpoint in his political career (more’s the pity) but the artwork is pretty flat, as you say. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/23 "2011-11-19T03:46:04Z")
He’s got some perspective problems, but the art is pleasant enough in an innocuous, hang-em-on-your-racist-grandma’s-wall fashion. I knew who the artist was, due to a combination of having seen some before, the recent discussion of him, and who the OP was and his tendency to try to create what he thinks will be thought-provoking posts. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/24 "2011-11-19T03:52:08Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Oh, I like those. I’m far from an art critic. I like Hitler’s better than Churchill’s, but I tend to like more realistic paintings in general. Also, their proximity to pictures of scantily clad women really sells it for me. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/25 "2011-11-19T04:00:25Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > The artist is none other than Adolf Hitler. Does that fact that Hitler make it change your view of the artwork itself? No ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/26 "2011-11-19T05:42:56Z")
Without voting in the poll, and without reading the other posts, I think they’re Hitler’s works. Am I righ?. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/27 "2011-11-19T07:10:50Z")
I neither like them nor dislike them. They are technically ok, but artistically vacant. I’d call them “renderings” . . . which is, of course, a type of art, but nothing I’d ever hang on my wall. And knowing the name of the artist doesn’t change my opinion of them. But I sure wish the Vienna Academy of Art had accepted him. (I’ve been to that school and seen some of their work from that period . . . and his work really wasn’t that good.) ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/28 "2011-11-19T07:17:32Z")
They are hotel room good. Inane, bland, but pleasing enough. ---
**Author:** ![ProbablyProcrastinating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@ProbablyProcrastinating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProbablyProcrastinating)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/29 "2011-11-19T07:18:54Z")
This is fascinating. I chose “other”. I thought they were done by different people. I also thought they looked of fair quality–certainly better than I could have done–but very schlocky in terms of subject matter. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/30 "2011-11-19T07:20:35Z")
They’re alright. I’m not riveted by them, but considering I can’t draw a stickman, I definitely wouldn’t call it bad art or anything. Knowing who made 'em doesn’t change my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/31 "2011-11-19T07:38:08Z")
The one of the Peterkirche is especially crappy. So basically, Hitler was not just an evil person, he was also a shitty artist, is that what you’re trying to say? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/32 "2011-11-19T07:44:18Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > I voted No, not really. The art is passable, much better than what I could possibly hope to accomplish, but nothing stuck out as interesting or provocative of any emotion whatsoever. So, meh. I got an overwhelming urge to annex the Sudetenland. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/33 "2011-11-19T12:20:34Z")
Grrr! All y’all saying he could paint better than you, get on over here and I’ll teach you. Really; there’s no reason you can’t be better than Hitler. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/34 "2011-11-19T13:33:36Z")
I voted other. I liked some, disliked others. I thought it was at least two different artists. I wish I could paint. Bob the painter always made it look so easy. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/35 "2011-11-19T13:35:23Z")
They’re ok. Reasonably technically proficient, but the only emotional impact from them would be from associations with the subject matter. They look like you ought to be able to buy them in the local equivalent of the French Market for $5.95 for the 5x7 and $9.95 for the 11x14. I’ve seen worse in hotel rooms before. My only thought on finding out they were Hitler’s was “Huh, he was a better artist than I’d have thought.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/36 "2011-11-19T13:54:22Z")
Well, I recognized the artist at once, so I’m biased. They’re the level of talented amateur – he could sell a few of them occasionally, but not make a living at it. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/37 "2011-11-19T14:36:45Z")
I recognised the artist as well, so it’s difficult for me to have an unbiased opinion…I voted meh, because they are flat and a bit ham-fisted. (And the perspective in the Arc de Triomphe one is awful.) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/38 "2011-11-19T14:50:23Z")
I recognized the art as Hitler’s too. But yeh, usually I might say, perhaps a carrer in fine art isn’t for you, have you considered another occupation? But in hindsight, I would’ve patronized him as occupying Poland turned out a tad worse. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/39 "2011-11-19T14:51:26Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’ve always thought you-know-who was a passable landscape and architectural painter. When he was rejected from entry to the art school in Vienna, it was suggested that he take up architecture. He took that to heart, and immediately laid a long-term plan for the redesign of most European cities. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404/40 "2011-11-19T18:44:57Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > …and who the OP was and his tendency to try to create what he thinks will be thought-provoking posts. I’d actually be interested for the OP to clarify the exact nature of his “thought experiment” here. I assume it’s something along the lines of, “Let’s see if people get all shocked when they find out that they admire the painting of a genocidal maniac!!!” The whole “experiment” seems so trite as to be completely pointless. As for the paintings, i put “Other” because, one the one hand, they didn’t really inspire or amaze or touch me, and i don’t find them especially interesting as art, but on the other, they obviously involve some skill, and i’d be very happy if i could draw or paint in as realistic a fashion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thought-experiment-do-you-like-this-artists-work/603404.md?page=3)