Artists in Prime Time: Art Featured in The Simpsons

Bruno Guerra 5 May 2023 min Read

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Back in the mid-1990s, a friend of mine showed me a book titled Bart Simpson’s Guide to Life. It was just what the title described, America’s most mischievous boy giving advice on how to better live your life. In it, one of the chapters was about art, and the advice was about how to act in a museum. After reading the quote you can enjoy some art references that we found in The Simpsons!

Museums are our hallowed halls of culture, but don’t hold that against ’em. They demand respect, man. So the next time you get dragged into one of these dusty old dumps, remember to behave.

Matt Groening, Bart Simpson’s Guide to Life.

Art References to Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait, and Salvador Dali's Sleep, in The Simpsons, S5E05 (Treehouse of Horror IV). — Art references to Vincent van Gogh’s *Self-Portrait*, and Salvador Dali’s *Sleep*, in *The Simpsons*, S5E05. The Simpsons/ Fox.

Vincent van Gogh, Self Portrait, 1889, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France. — Vincent van Gogh, *Self Portrait*, 1889, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.

Salvador Dali, Sleep, 1937, private collection. — Salvador Dali, *Sleep*, 1937, private collection. WikiArt.

The book was published in 1993 when The Simpsons was only in its fifth season, but even back then the show had had enough to let their love for art be known, something it still does to this day.

Homer the Artist

Maybe one of the first episodes to come to mind when thinking about art is and The Simpsons is Mom and Pop Art (S10E19), when, while trying to put together a store-bought barbecue pit, Homer, in a fit of rage, ends up creating a mesh that is perceived as a piece of modern art. Homer ends up becoming a celebrated artist, but quickly realizes that making art is much more difficult than accidentally letting his rage get the better of him, which prompts him to visit the Springfield Museum to look at famous art pieces for inspiration.

Homer's Barbecue Pit in The Simpsons, S10E19. — Still from *The Simpsons*, Homer’s Barbecue Pit, S10E19. The Simpsons/Fox.

Art references to Pablo Picasso's Seated Harlequin and The Barefoot Girl in The Simpsons, S10E19. — Art references to Pablo Picasso’s *Seated Harlequin* and *The Barefoot Girl* in *The Simpsons*, S10E19. The Simpsons/Fox.

Pablo Picasso, Seated Harlequin, 1901, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA. — Pablo Picasso, *Seated Harlequin*, 1901, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA.

Pablo Picasso, The barefoot girl, 1895, Musée Picasso, Paris, France. — Pablo Picasso, *The barefoot girl*, 1895, Musée Picasso, Paris, France.

Art reference to Georges Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte in The Simpsons, S10E19. — Art reference to Georges Seurat’s *A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte* in *The Simpsons*, S10E19. The Simpsons/Fox.

Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, 1884-1886, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. — Georges Seurat, *A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte*, 1884-1886, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Bart Across Art

But Season 10 was hardly the first time The Simpsons showed off their love for the fine arts. Back in S1E11 (The Crepes of Wrath) saw Bart sent off to the French countryside as an exchange student (although he was actually exploited as a winemaker). While on a quick motorcycle ride across France, Bart passes through a couple of landscapes which the eager viewer might recognize as familiar paintings.

Art reference to Claude Monet's The Water-Lily Pond in The Simpsons, S01E11. — Art reference to Claude Monet’s *The Water-Lily Pond* in *The Simpsons*, S01E11. The Simpsons/Fox.

Claude Monet, The Water-Lily Pond, 1899, National Gallery, London, UK. — Claude Monet, *The Water-Lily Pond*, 1899, National Gallery, London, UK.

Art reference to Vincent van Gogh's Wheatfield with Crows in The Simpsons, S01E11. — Art reference to Vincent van Gogh’s *Wheatfield with Crows* in *The Simpsons*, S01E11. The Simpsons/Fox.

Vincent van Gogh, Wheatfield with Crows, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. — Vincent van Gogh, *Wheatfield with Crows*, 1890, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

When interviewed about this subject on the ArtMatters Podcast, pop culture critic Emily VanDerWerff said about this episode:

Buried in the background of this otherwise frenetic Simpsons episode is not only a little art history lesson, but an art history lesson for a specific place […]. It’s certainly affectionate and I’ve always felt that it adds a layer to an episode that, without it, would not be one of the strongest Simpsons episodes.

Emily VanDerWerff, ArtMatters Podcast.

Art reference to Henri Rousseau's The Dream in The Simpsons, S01E11. — Art reference to Henri Rousseau’s *The Dream* in *The Simpsons*, S01E11. The Simpsons/Fox.

Henri Rousseau, The Dream, 1910, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA. — Henri Rousseau, *The Dream*, 1910, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, USA.

Art reference to Édouard Manet's The Luncheon on the Grass in The Simpsons, S01E11. — Art reference to Édouard Manet’s *The Luncheon on the Grass* in *The Simpsons*, S01E11. The Simpsons/Fox.

Édouard Manet, The Luncheon on the Grass, 1890, Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France. — Édouard Manet, *The Luncheon on the Grass*, 1890, Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.

Simpsons Americana

Another noteworthy observation by VanDerWerff suggests that The Simpsons use art as part of their distillation of culture, specifically 20th-century American culture, which can be seen in the many instances art of that time period and origin is strewn across the show. This, she adds, gives new baggage to art; a phenomenon she believes happens every time a piece is appropriated by pop culture.

Art reference to Grant Wood's American Gothic in The Simpsons, S05E17. — Art reference to Grant Wood’s *American Gothic* in *The Simpsons*, S05E17. The Simpsons/Fox.

Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. — Grant Wood, *American Gothic*, 1930, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Art reference to Edward Hopper's Nighthawks in The Simpsons, S02E17. — Art reference to Edward Hopper’s *Nighthawks* in *The Simpsons*, S02E17. The Simpsons/Fox.

Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. — Edward Hopper, *Nighthawks*, 1942, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

Art for Everybody

There is, however, an instance unlike any other, in which a piece of art serves as the driving force behind an episode. Homer is where the art isn’t (S29E12) tells the story of how Homer becomes obsessed with the 1940s painting, The Poetess, by Joan Miró. An uncharacteristically focused Homer strives the whole episode to contemplate and appreciate the beauty of the painting, which makes him the prime suspect of its theft when it goes missing. An otherwise regular episode becomes very much relatable as the sight of Homer taking in the fullness of The Poetess is one many of us may experience when visiting a museum or gallery, reminding us that art can truly be for anyone.

Joan Miró, The Poetess, 1940, private collection. — Joan Miró, *The Poetess,* 1940, private collection. Wikioo.

Art reference to Joan Miró's The Poetess in The Simpsons, S29E12 — Art reference to Joan Miró’s *The Poetess* in *The Simpsons*, S29E12. The Simpsons/Fox.

While these are some examples, The Simpsons, currently past their 33rd season, have shown –or hidden– many more art references than we could ever list here, which is just another fun excuse to pay more attention next time we visit our favorite Springfield family.

Art reference to René Magritte's The Treachery of Images in The Simpsons, S19E11. — Art reference to René Magritte’s *The Treachery of Images* in *The Simpsons*, S19E11. The Simpsons/Fox.

René Magritte, The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), 1929, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA. — René Magritte, *The Treachery of Images* *(This is Not a Pipe)*, 1929, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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