The Artist's Personality: Does It Change How We Love a Work of Art?

Imagine you buy a painting that moves you deeply. You hang it in your living room and look at it every day with joy. Then one day, you discover that the artist has committed unimaginable crimes. Would your view of the painting change? Would you keep it, or let it go? Let's look at the place the artist's personality takes in the way we appreciate art.

More than a decorative object

When we buy a work of art, we are not just buying something to decorate a wall. We create an emotional bond with it, shaped by its beauty, by the message it carries and by our own interpretation. The painting seems to speak to us, it brings back feelings and precious memories. Entering the room becomes a small daily happiness.

When the truth comes out

Now imagine you learn that the person who painted it is guilty of horrible acts, the murder of children, for instance. How does this change the way you see the work? Opinions differ.

Separating the work from the artist. For some, a work should be appreciated independently of the life and actions of its creator. The painting has not changed: it still stirs the same emotions.

An emotion that turns sour. For others, it is impossible to separate the two. Knowing who painted it tarnishes its beauty, and the joy it gave turns into discomfort, even disgust.

An ethical question. Keeping the work of an artist guilty of terrible crimes can feel like silent support for their actions. Some people let the work go for that reason alone.

Keep it or let it go?

There is no universal answer. It depends on several things:

• Your values. If the artist's actions hurt you deeply, you will probably part with the work.
• The cultural context. In some cultures, the artist's personality weighs heavily in how their work is judged.
• The people around you. If the painting makes your loved ones uncomfortable, that may lead you to remove it.

A more intimate case: when the artist was a friend

Sometimes it is not a crime but a broken relationship. You bought a work because the artist was your friend, and now you have drifted apart after old hurts. What do you do with a painting you loved, which now reminds you of a painful story?

The work can become a daily reminder of betrayal, and the original joy turns into pain. You feel torn between your love for the painting and the memories attached to the person. In the end, you have to decide whether its emotional value is stronger than the bad feelings, or whether letting it go is better for your peace of mind.

Can we love the work and judge the artist?

This subject makes me think about how we react when we learn that the creators of our favourite paintings, books or films are, in their lives, flawed human beings. Are we able to separate our love for a work from our judgement of the person who made it? Or does it push us to reject both the work and its author? It is a question that echoes another one I explored in The Essence of Art: what do we really feel in front of a work?

If you would like to go further, I recommend Claire Dederer's book Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma (2023), which explores exactly this question.

And you, what would you do? Tell me on WhatsApp, I would love to hear from you.

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See you soon,

Lenon B

Contemporary painter, Ericeira, Portugal