Those of us that don't know anything about art still don't consider it anything special. I wouldn't even put it on a wall at home. Looks crusty, for one.
Meanwhile, there are works of immeasurably lesser technical talent hanging on my walls that I spend much time admiring. Good art is good art, and it's best to not let anyone tell you what that means or doesn't mean.
My favorite painting is by my wife’s grandmother’s childhood neighbor who only showed one painting in her life (circa 1963). I’m sure that an art critic would tear it to pieces, but to me it’s beautiful. I feel lucky to have it in my house. It’s starting to deteriorate and I need to find somebody to restore it, but I don’t want to entrust it to anybody I can afford.
Make it a hobby project. First to figure out is what is it on and then the paint type. From there you can research how to maybe restore and to preserve and slow or stop the degradation. Find books use AnnasArchive if they aren't in your library after researching books about restoration and preservation.
You don't know how unhandy I am. I would not be able to DIY this without making it worse, but today I contacted a restorer to at least find out what it will take. I assume that it will be multiple thousands of dollars, but have never even verified that assumption.
I think it was the director of the Art Gallery of Ontario talking about “art” in an interview who said (roughly) “Art is the match - your mind is the cigar”.
It's not art snobs who made it famous, either. It's just famous for being famous, at that poin. In the same room at the Louvre there's Veronese's "The Wedding at Cana" and several Titians that art snobs would also linger over, but the room is 90% tourists who want to see the Mona Lisa.
