For centuries, works of art have been subjected to public and private criticism.
It's simply a part of the artistic process.
That said, while the creation of art takes talent and vision, so too does the exhibition of masterpieces.
After all, what is art without someone to criticize it?!
One event, in particular, sparked a feud between artists and art critics that, to one degree or another, remains to this very day.
The event took place at the famous Paris Salon in 1863, where art critics decided which pieces would (and would not) be featured in the esteemed exhibit.
The jury of 1863 was particularly harsh, rejecting more than half of the entries.
The ensuing scandal became so contentious that Emperor Napoleon III had to intervene and quell the riotous artists.
Napoleon proposed an alternative display for the rejected works in the Salon des Refusés, which is French for the exhibition of rejects.
Doesn't sound like the best consolation prize, does it?
