Some one else may see a gaudy piece that clashes with their old victorian.
It is so apparent... Good Taste Art is often a matter of context. Yes, you are usually safe with classics but there are plenty of exceptions. Those who are very discriminating about the correctness of period decor may turn their collective noses up at a painting from the 1700's of peasants being placed in a room predominantly Rococo Louis XV. Some would simply not put a painting of poor people, unless perhaps as appreciation for the beauty of rural life, in such a lavish setting... That would not be in good taste!
You might think nudes are timeless and in many ways they are if they portray realism, but background colors of old master paintings certainly are different than the newer techniques brought in by the impressionists with their soft colors and less distinct lines. Later realistic nudes may also be juxtaposed with brighter colors unknown in older pieces. Some paintings with overt fashion statements simply scream out the era from which they hail and cannot be used in just any decor and look appropriate.
Some nudes are rubenesque and therefore not a fashionable nude in some contexts... Let's say 1960's decor with the round chairs and tables... Hmmm... come to think of it... with all that "roundness"... hmmm. However, it was also the era of Twiggy when thin models were entirely the rage.
Conclusively, unless you have gallery rooms and are an avid collector of art, you generally need to either choose the decor based on the fine art you own (or art that approaches that lofty height by degree) or choose your art based on the surroundings you are planning to have. It could be that your piece and your environment serendipitously match by an odd stroke of luck and "just look good" together by virtue of style and color combinations for a unique if eccentric look. I am very tolerant of these things personally. I see the "correct" and the charming mismatch as desirable if just for the experience of viewing them both.
Ahhh... Variety... Will we ever get enough? Maybe... Then again, wouldn't it be fun to just visit many, many houses and experience all different ideas of home decorating? I think our sharing experiences and homes with each other more openly is coming... We'll see.:)
