Kitsch
A term for art seen as imitative, sentimental, or of banal taste.
Kitsch is a term applied to art and design perceived as naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. Originating in the art markets of Munich in the 1860s and 1870s, it described cheap, popular, and marketable pictures and sketches, with the term itself born in a painter’s studio. The study of kitsch was almost exclusively German until the 1970s, with Walter Benjamin as a key scholar. Kitsch is considered a modern phenomenon, coinciding with the Industrial Revolution, urbanization, mass production, modern materials like plastics, and the rise of the middle class and public education, which led to an oversaturation of art produced for popular taste. The modern avant-garde traditionally opposed kitsch for its melodramatic tendencies, superficial relationship with the human condition, and vulgar standards of beauty. In the first half of the 20th century, it referred to mass-produced pop-cultural products lacking fine art’s conceptual depth. Since Pop Art’s emergence in the 1950s, kitsch has gained highbrow appeal, often used knowingly in ironic, humorous, or earnest ways. Branding visual art as kitsch is often pejorative, but not exclusively; it can be enjoyed sincerely, as with the *Dogs Playing Poker* paintings. Kitsch also describes music, literature, and other media, and relates to camp through shared irony and extravagance. Modernist writer Hermann Broch argued its essence is imitation, mimicking its predecessor without ethical regard. Benjamin saw kitsch as a utilitarian object lacking critical distance, offering instant emotional gratification without intellectual effort. Tomáš Kulka proposed three conditions: it depicts a beautiful or emotionally charged subject; the subject is instantly identifiable; and it does not substantially enrich associations. In Milan Kundera’s *The Unbearable Lightness of Being*, kitsch is defined as an aesthetic ideal that excludes everything unacceptable in human existence, exemplified by the emotional manipulation of seeing children running on grass.
- origin
- Munich, Germany, 1860s–1870s
- field
- Art theory, aesthetics, cultural criticism
- key_associated_scholars
- Hans Reimann, Walter Benjamin, Hermann Broch, Milan Kundera, Celeste Olalquiaga
- related_concepts
- Camp, Pop Art, totalitarian kitsch, melancholic kitsch, nostalgic kitsch
Lore & Background
The term kitsch originated in the art markets of Munich, Germany, during the 1860s and 1870s, where it described cheap, popular, and marketable pictures and sketches. It was later defined by Hans Reimann as a professional expression born in a painter's studio. The study of kitsch remained almost exclusively German until the 1970s, with Walter Benjamin as a key scholar. Kitsch is considered a modern phenomenon, emerging alongside the Industrial Revolution, urbanization, mass production, modern materials like plastics, and new media such as radio and television, as well as the rise of the middle class and public education. These changes led to an oversaturation of art produced for popular taste. Defining characteristics include being perceived as naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous, or of banal taste. It is often seen as melodramatic, having a superficial relationship with the human condition, and adhering to vulgar standards of beauty. Kitsch is typically mass-produced and pop-cultural, lacking the conceptual depth of fine art. However, since the 1950s, Pop Art has given kitsch a newfound highbrow appeal, often used in knowingly ironic, humorous, or earnest ways. While branding something as kitsch is often pejorative, it can also be enjoyed sincerely for its quaint or quirky qualities, as seen in the *Dogs Playing Poker* paintings. Kitsch relates to camp through shared irony and extravagance. Notable examples include Jeff Koons’ *Puppy*, a self-aware combination of opulence and cuteness, and architectural kitsch found in Buzescu village, Romania, or the Abraj al Saat in Mecca. Automotive design, such as the 1980s Zimmer, also exemplifies kitsch.
Reader's Guide
Kitsch has been a contested term in art theory and aesthetics. Modernist writer Hermann Broch argued that the essence of kitsch is imitation: it mimics its immediate predecessor with no regard to ethics, aiming to copy the beautiful, not the good. Walter Benjamin saw kitsch as a utilitarian object lacking critical distance, offering instantaneous emotional gratification without intellectual effort. Tomáš Kulka proposed three essential conditions: it depicts a beautiful or highly emotionally charged subject; the subject is instantly identifiable; and it does not substantially enrich associations. Milan Kundera, in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, defined kitsch as an 'aesthetic ideal' that excludes everything unacceptable in human existence, linking it to totalitarian politics. Celeste Olalquiaga distinguished 'melancholic kitsch' from 'nostalgic kitsch', arguing that melancholic kitsch functions as a Benjaminian dialectical image, a ruin reflecting utopian possibilities. Since the emergence of Pop Art in the 1950s, kitsch has taken on newfound highbrow appeal, often used in knowingly ironic, humorous, or earnest manners. The term remains often pejorative, though not exclusively.
Did You Know?
- The term kitsch originated in the art markets of Munich, Germany in the 1860s and 1870s.
- Walter Benjamin described an artist who engages in kitschy reproductions as a 'furnished man'.
- Milan Kundera's novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being defines kitsch as an 'aesthetic ideal' that excludes everything unacceptable in human existence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kitsch in painting and visual arts?
Kitsch is a label applied to artwork or design that viewers perceive as a shallow imitation, excessively sentimental, or of mediocre taste. It typically describes pieces that chase mass appeal and commercial success rather than genuine artistic depth.
Where did the term "Kitsch" come from?
The word surfaced in the art markets of Munich, Germany, during the 1860s and 1870s. It was originally used to tag inexpensive, widely distributed pictures made for the general public rather than for discerning collectors.
Which thinkers are most closely tied to the concept of Kitsch?
Walter Benjamin, Milan Kundera, and Celeste Olalquiaga have each examined the idea through the lenses of mass culture, totalitarian aesthetics, and consumer desire. Hans Reimann and Hermann Broch also offered influential critical perspectives on the phenomenon.
How does Kitsch relate to Camp, Pop Art, or other art movements?
Kitsch overlaps with Camp and Pop Art in probing the boundary between "high" and "low" culture, though it usually carries a more dismissive tone. Related subtypes include nostalgic kitsch, melancholic kitsch, and what critics call totalitarian kitsch.
Why does Kitsch still matter in art criticism?
The concept remains a central reference point in ongoing debates about taste, mass production, and where to draw the line between popular and refined art. It pushes both viewers and critics to examine their own assumptions about what qualifies as "real" art versus mere decoration.
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