In recent years, the use of the term has been frequently criticized by some academic art historians for oversimplifying artistic developments, ignoring historical context, and focusing only on a few iconic works.
Recentemente, o uso do concepto foi criticado por algúns historiadores de arte académicos por simplificar os desenvolvementos artísticos, ignorando o contexto histórico, e centrándose tan só nuns poucos traballos rechamantes.