The change began in the late 19th Century when the new modernists (Impressionists) began to promote the concept of aesthetic relativism. That gave rise to the idea that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The early Impressionists like Renoir, Monet, and Degas still created exquisite works that were readily identifiable as landscapes and people in a variety of places and activities.
 
But over the 20th Century, what had been considered “artistic standards” declined to become non-existent, and were reduced to nothing more than “personal expression.”  Jakob Rosenberg, author, art historian, and Rembrandt scholar once said that quality in art “is not merely a matter of personal opinion but to a high degree…objectively traceable.” But today, the idea of having a universal standard of quality is met with ridicule by museum heads, art critics, and gallery owners who provide the financial support to promote the meaningless and mundane.  
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In addition to the lack of quality standards, the subject matter of art has moved from the transcendent to the trashy.  As reported by Mr. Florczak, the masters once applied their talents to scenes of substance and integrity, based on history, literature, religion, mythology, etc. Today, many modern artists’ themes are nothing more than personal or political statements – often designed for nothing more than seeking attention through shock value. 

Fine art, on the other hand, will be both beautiful and thematic – typically something that stirs the emotions, the intellect, or the spirit. And, much like spoken and written language, fine art tends to communicate.  The art’s ability to communicate is usually what makes it successful or unsuccessful to the beholder.  And just as successful verbal communication requires understanding by the listener, so successful art requires understanding by the observer.  And understanding comes through realism.