What Exactly Is Kitsch Anyway?

The Barge Haulers of Volga, Ilya Repin, 1873 — to early 20th C art critic Clement Greenberg, this was this worst it could get.

Previously I explored the question: was 20th century album cover art kitsch? Let’s take a step back and explore a more basic question — what exactly is kitsch anyway?

Well, here’s the thing — while there’s a general notion there is no definitive answer.

In a 2014 article for Forbes, Roger Scruton wrote, “Whatever we think of the history of modern art since (Clement) Greenberg, we have to admit that the kitsch question is still with us. Just what is kitsch?”It is a worthwhile question. While a definitive answer is elusive, and as with so much in the world of art, in the eye of beholder, by comparing various commentaries on this question, it is possible to establish a baseline consensus.

Ceremonial Sitting Meeting of the State Council on 7 May 1901, Ilya Repin, 1901

There are of course other great compelling questions about kitsch. Does it have value? Is it intellectually, socially, or politically harmful? Although I would love to return to these questions at another time, I’m not going to touch them here.

Whether kitsch has value or not, whether it is harmful or in some way helpful to a given society’s development, it is clear that it is ubiquitous. A multitude of examples will be provided throughout. By exploring the visual…