I think the explanation is eternalban's comment elsewhere in this thread -- according to academia, there's nothing new or interesting to be done with traditiona

I think the explanation is eternalban's comment elsewhere in this thread -- according to academia, there's nothing new or interesting to be done with traditional Western painting. (What academia has to say about Japanese scroll-painting, Persian miniatures and carpets, medieval-style illumination, etc., is better imagined than described -- even though these, as well as traditional Western painting, still have plenty of interesting things that can be done with them.)