Are Today’s Portraitists Better Than the Old Masters?
I tend to disagree with the assessment that the an artists technique has anything to do with how good an artist is.<p>Case in point: in Picasso&#x27;s formative years, he was a great realistic painter. He became a great artist because he pushed the boundary of abstract art that is arguably easier to paint than his earlier work. 
To me, Picasso was so good because he built a story (myth) around his work that resonated with so many people.<p>The Mona Lisa is the most famous painting because of the myth around it. It&#x27;s a beautiful portait, but is it really the best portrait ever? I think in the same wing of the Louvre there are better paintings of Da Vinci on show, even though there is no crowd around it.<p>Recently, the myth builders have been (maybe they still are) Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst, I think that&#x27;s what makes them great artists.