Why These Hipsters Hate Renoir

Daily Beast ^ | October 21, 2015 | Lizzie Crocker

[C19fan]

When ranting about his profound contempt for Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Max Geller frequently returns to the word “treacle.”

The French Impressionist painter’s renderings of bourgeois leisure are shamelessly “treacly”; his portraits of doll-faced young girls are “fluffy treacle;” his misogynistic portraits of women “traffic in the most treacly pallets”; his entire oeuvre is a “steaming pile of treacle.”

[C19fan]

I wonder if Geller is faking it. He sures luvs to thrown out the "ist", and "isms". He whole is shtick is rather boring as a lot of others before, assuming he is being serious, him have said the same crap for 150+ years about fighting "cultural hegemony". Sort of ironic the Impressionists were part of that Modernist movement now they are charged as being part of the Establishment.

[demshateGod]

For leftism to succeed, greatness has to be obliterated. He's just parroting his professors, and since he's an idiot, his professor's garbage is attractive to him.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Some nice RENOIRS

[babble-on]

They’re fat-shaming the models.

[babble-on]

They’re fat-shaming the models.

[miss marmelstein]

I’m not always a fan of Renoir’s later portraits but he’s still a very great painter. I’m not sure I know who Geller is. Is he suggesting we burn what he doesn’t like?

[elcid1970]

Some very nice & curvy depictions of the beauty of the female body, indeed.

And.....Geller has a problem with that?

[NorthMountain]

I'd like to know what this Geller fellow does like. That will tell us a lot more about him than knowing what he doesn't like.

Does he ever say? I don't like to visit the daily beast.

[SparkyBass]

Trying hard to be hip enough to hang with artistes...

When I Go Out With Artists

[NorthMountain]

OK, I went and read the article. (Heaven help me.)

Firstly, he's a "community organizer". For that, alone, he should be tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail. America's decline began when we abandoned the tar-pot, the feather-bag, and the fence-rail.

Secondly, he's a self-described leninist. For that, he should be mercilessly flogged following the tar, feathers, and fencerail ride.

Thirdly, he seems to be some sort of feminist. For that, he should be repeatedly kicked in the unmentionables.

Finally, he reveals that he likes a Polish Art Deco painter. Hmmmph! Art Deco is my least favorite of all artistic styles which I do not outright loathe. That's personal.Tamara de Lempicka's work isn't atrocious. Some of it is even fairly good, for Art Deco. But it doesn't hold a candle to Renoir. IMO.

[Jack Hammer]

Geller’s an *sshole, who gives a s*** what he says.

[Daffynition]

Renoir. A pretty cool dude

;)

[Mastador1]

I bet he thinks that painting of a Campbell’s Soup can is the epitome of great art.

[AndyJackson]

Look, while the guy is a first-class jerk, and should be tarred and feathered or made president of the united states, he has something of a point, I guess. Like treacle, Renoir's paintings make us feel good about ourselves. They make us happy. Just look at the Luncheon of the Boating Party - folks having fun, pleasant conversation, wine, good food at a beautiful spot.

I prefer others of that period of French painting - Cezanne, in particular. But until this guy came along I could not imagine anyone who looked at a Renoir and thought - oh my god, I want to smash the place up or throw Molotov cocktails around. Which I guess is his problem.

Probably why folks are willing to pay gazillions to have one in their hedge fund office.

[miss marmelstein]

That’s either Harpo Marx or Picasso on the left. It’s not Renoir or his son who was a famous filmmaker.

[dfwgator]

Same people probably consider Jackson Pollock as Art.

[miss marmelstein]

Whether you or I like Art Deco or not, it is a very popular and well-regarded school of art. I happen to like it and to this very day you can occasionally pick up an beautiful artifact for not too much money. Tamara de Lempicka’s work is also very well regarded.

I hope we’re not heading into Glenn Beck art history lessons with this thread!

[Chaguito]

There was a counter-demonstration against the anti-Renoiristas, where one participant said, “You will take my Renoir when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.”

Somehow, I think there is some tongue-in-cheek going on here.

[JJ_Folderol]

Needed something new to whine about.

[D. S. Mayfield]

"Beauty" (in four parts). Superb!

Beauty