This is a reply I posted on a topic about academic 'pompier' art on the blog of James Gurney.
You can find the post here.

Ah ! Another post that explores the differences in taste !
Obviously I cannot but reply !

Firstly, I really LOVE the following comment you make : 
"Art that is “pompier” is [...] melodramatic, and overblown. Hey! That’s everything I love!"

It's not so much that I have the same taste, 
but it's the attitude towards taste in general that this comment expresses that I really like. 
With this comment you don't deny that pompier art has these over-the-top qualities,
yet you have no problem with stating that you nevertheless like it and thirdly, 
all of this is said in a jokingly fascion.

Hmmm...perhaps I should put it more simply : the comment has a undertone of "Hey, it's just my taste ! No big deal !"

When my father (a painter himself) first saw a book about the pre-raphaelites at my home, 
he questioned my taste with the remark : "Pre-raphaelites !? Do you really like that !?"
My sister on the other hand would have remarked something like "Yek !" 
wich also expresses her taste, but much more directly.
While my father's remark tends to judge me, my sister's remark 
simply expresses her taste, nothing more.

Obviously I like the latter.

A second thing is the observation of children you mention.
One HUGE advantage of children's point of view on art is 
that their taste has not yet been obscured by the need to 'position' themselves socially. 
Children always express their personal taste without worrying about their social status/position. 
(Ok, not entirely true, I know. Children tend to 'hype' things faster than grown-ups.)

But still, if you look at grown-ups...
I really dislike it when people ask me a rethorical question of the form 
"That is really a great painting isn't it?"
Am I even allowed to answer ?
Well...even though I may happen to agree on the matter, 
I might not be able to resist to reply with a blunt "No."

My taste is mine. 
It's not better or worse that anyone elses, 
but it's part of my personality and therefor untouchable. 
I thus have the right to ridicule my own taste, but no-one else has.

Now, about pompier art...I'm afraid, very afraid, that I do like it as well.