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Top 8 reasons of why can art be so expensive

Introduction

There are many people who usually don’t pay attention to art. When purchasing high-end pieces, there are a few things that need to be taken into account. For example, how much is it worth? How do other people feel about it? What’s the best way to store it so that it lasts as long as possible? And finally…why does art cost so much?

1. Price isn’t an accurate indicator of quality.

Price isn’t an accurate indicator of quality.

It’s a reflection of scarcity, demand and the market. If you’re new to art collecting and don’t know much about what goes into making it, you might assume that more expensive pieces are better ones. But that’s not always true!

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There are many factors that go into determining the price tag on an artwork:

  • The artist’s reputation—their name recognition and skill as an artist in general
  • Their skill level (if they’re well-known) vs their reputation (if they have only recently earned their reputation) – this can affect how much your piece is worth even if it has no other qualities

artist artwork price

2. In fact, there are plenty of works by famous artists that are widely considered to be bad.

In fact, there are plenty of works by famous artists that are widely considered to be bad. Can you name any? Have you ever heard of them?

3. Even so, those rule breakers can still be valuable.

In the same way that art can be expensive, so can other things. And some of those things are exactly the same as art.

The real estate market is another good example of this phenomenon: it’s also a luxury good that changes hands for big bucks, but it’s also subject to inflationary forces and other financial risks (such as interest rates).

This means that buying a mansion doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to sell it later on in order to make a profit

Instead, you need some kind of hedge against inflation—something else similar enough yet different enough from your house that buyers will still value it at its current value even if they know inflation will erode their purchasing power over time.

expensive art

So while there may not be much point in breaking any rules when buying art because no one can ever tell whether they’re worth what they cost today or tomorrow (or even next week).

Those reasons could include an investment strategy based on using up-and-coming artists’ work as collateral before selling off their other assets entirely.

Or, perhaps just wanting something tangible representing yourself personally without having had anything happen since graduating high school!

4. In the world of art, it’s the underdog that makes history…

The most expensive piece of art ever sold was Pablo Picasso’s “Le Reve” (The Dream), which fetched a record $106.5 million at auction in 2011. It was painted by Picasso in the late 1920s and features his lover, Eva Gouel, reclining on a bed with a glass of wine in her hand. She is naked except for her shoes, which are still on her feet and are resting against two steps leading up to where she lies.

Pablo Picasso’s “Le Reve”
Pablo Picasso’s “Le Reve”

Picasso himself said about this painting: “When I painted Le Reve I wanted it to be an intimate portrait; something that would be drawn from life.”

…and oftentimes, a lot of money.

It’s not just the rarity of art that makes it so expensive. It can also be the quality and popularity of an artwork.

For example, if you have an original oil painting by Leonardo da Vinci or an original sculpture by Michelangelo, they will probably be worth a lot more than other paintings and sculptures that are similar in size and subject matter.

In addition to being rarer and higher quality than other pieces in their class, these artists are also well-known enough that their work commands high prices at auction houses around the world (and thus tends to go up even more when collectors want to buy them).

5. But like all things popular and cool…

Like all things popular and cool, art is expensive because there are more people making it than the market can support. It’s like how there are more people buying cars than the world needs to drive around in them.

The reason why we have a big problem today is that artists don’t just want their work on canvas anymore. They want it on walls and ceilings as well!

They don’t just want to make paintings; they want sculptures too!

And not just any sculptures—these would be ones that look like marble statues or stone carvings from ancient time

And these kinds of artworks sell for thousands upon thousands of dollars each!

expensive art on walls
expensive sculptures

…copying and fakes eventually come along to ruin the party.

Copying and fakes are the same thing. They’re not the same as forgeries, which are illegal to create and sell.

Copying is not illegal, but it can be unethical—and sometimes downright dishonest.

It’s important to know that copying is different than plagiarism (or stealing someone else’s work), which is strictly against the law in most countries around the world.

6. As times change, so does the definition of art.

As times change, so does the definition of art.

Art is a subjective concept and it has no set limits or boundaries. A painting can be considered an example of fine art, but it could also be called “kitsch” if you’re not into modern abstractions.

A Friend in Need, a 1903 Dogs Playing Poker painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, is a common example of modern kitsch.
A Friend in Need, a 1903 Dogs Playing Poker painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, is a common example of modern kitsch.

The same applies to music and literature. You can listen to classical music all day long; however, if you prefer something more electronic (or hip-hop), then that’s totally fine too!

Artists are constantly expanding their horizons by experimenting with new mediums, styles and techniques.

For example: before Leonardo da Vinci created his Mona Lisa masterpiece in 1503 AV (after Van Gogh painted The Potato Eaters), there was no such thing as photography yet!

7. To some people, pop culture artist Andy Warhol made trash…

Art is expensive. To some people, pop culture artist Andy Warhol (see point 2) made trash…and they loved it!

He was famous for his “pop art,” which was a type of art that was more accessible to the public and often made out of trash.

He also worked with celebrities like Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy (though she wasn’t a celebrity at the time).

And then there’s money: In addition to being known as one of America’s most influential artists during his lifetime (he died at age 58), Warhol also became so well known for his innovative business practices that he’s been called “the first superstar.”

marilyn monroe pop art
Marilyn Monroe painting by Andy Warhol

…and in another sense he made art out of trash.

Andy Warhol made art out of trash. He made art out of things that were considered trash—trash, junk and garbage.

But he didn’t just make his work out of those things; he made something beautiful and meaningful with them.

The reason why so many people are willing to spend money on artwork is because they have a personal connection with it. If you feel connected to nature and its calmness, check out my canvas acrylic paintings at my shop and also my at my etsy shop ArtsFiestaShop.

They feel something when looking at it or listening to its music or reading its words. This isn’t true for every piece of art, but there are many pieces where you’ll find yourself saying “wow” after seeing or hearing something new about the artist’s process or technique (or both).

8. Art is expensive because it’s defined as the creation of rare, high quality cultural objects.

You can think of art as something that is expensive because it’s defined as the creation of rare, high quality cultural objects.

This means that those who create these pieces are usually well-established artists. The ones who have their own studios and assistants and their works are sold in galleries or at auction houses.

well-established artists

Artists who sell artwork typically make less money than those who don’t sell their work (or make less money per sale).

The reason for this is simple:

The artist must pay for materials like canvas or paper, which can cost thousands of dollars per piece. They also need to pay rent or purchase equipment like paints and canvases so they can create new paintings every day. It also includes food and shelter while working on their art project(s).

Conclusion

There are a lot of different types of art that can be expensive, but the best ones are often very old.

It’s not just because they cost more to make either, it’s also because they take more time and effort to create. When you consider all of that, it’s no wonder why paintings by famous artists are so expensive!

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