What is genre painting? How does it depict the social classes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to art critic John Berger, genre painting in the European oil painting tradition served a purpose beyond simple aestheticism. He believes that it sent certain messages about socio-economic status\u2014messages that elevated one class and belittled another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more to learn about genre painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What is genre painting? In the European oil painting tradition, \u201cgenre\u201d painting was the opposite of mythological images. Rather than depicting morality and virtue, the genre paintings depicted unrefined vulgarity. The subjects of these paintings were the working class\u2014nameless individuals going about their lives. This is quite different from the commissioned paintings that immortalized the patron\u2019s name in the title of the work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The genre paintings that follow the tradition depict the working class as poor but happy. Often, the subject is even smiling outward at the viewer of the painting, presumed to be a member of the bourgeoisie. Berger says this depiction isn\u2019t realistic, but that it kept the wealthy from feeling guilty about their privilege (mystification). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another mystification in the genre paintings is the hidden message that the poor are less deserving of nice things. This is accomplished by depicting the subjects as sloppy and haphazard. Often their objects are strewn about without care. It implies that a person\u2019s economic status is the result of their virtues\u2014or lack thereof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Berger points out that the paintings that broke with tradition and showed the darker, grittier side of poverty rarely sold\u2014the people who were able to afford these paintings didn\u2019t want to see this reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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