Why do paintings costs so much money?

Question

I went to a art display today. I saw many beautiful canvases and scultures. But why do paintings costs thousands of dollars? Other than the fact that they look amazing, what makes it so valuable? I just want to understand this. Thanks for answering. Peace!

By the way, I really appreciate a work or art. I sketch myself. But I ain't no artist.

Answer 1

There is only one person in the world that can create that one painting. Often that one painting takes years to complete. If lots of people want art by that artist, then the demand is high, there may be a waiting list for their art and then the price goes up....

Answer 2

You know the saying 'a picture paints a thousand words'. Painting don't work if they don't say something to us, trigger some emotional reaction. The equivalent 'art' is really music, you sometimes get those tunes that cause the hairs on the back of your neck to rise and give you goosebumps, or make you happy or make you sad. But just as some kid blowing on a trumpet (badly) does nothing for you, so will (or won't) a badly drawn picture or uninspired (and uninspiring) painting. Just as some of us are tone deaf and wouldn't recognize a good tune, others won't recognize a good painting. But I'm inclined to think that most folk who stood in front of a great painting would find themselves affected in some way.

So we value the 'effect' and we value the rarity of great paintings. Interestingly the comparison with music continues. There have probably been as many 'great' musicians (a few hundred) as there have been great painters. Lots of other folk make music (and we're grateful for it), but most of it doesn't 'move the world' and last in our collective memory for hundreds of years.

You have to note though, that the 'effect' I talk about is amplified when art does something new or shocking. So part of Picasso's and Jeff Koons 'power' is their shocking subjects or size and the fact that they did it 'first'. So while looking at Koon's puppy might not give you the same sense of awe (after the hundredth time), you'd know that it would have that effect on folk meeting it for the first time, and collectors would know that there was 'only one' and you owned it.

You could also say that all the bad painting make the good ones valuable, and when a high price is attached to a bad painting (and it sells) then it represents the happy conjunction of lack of talent (the artist), avarice (the dealer) and stupidity (the buyer with more money than sense).

Answer 3

When any material is made to sell, the price is determined by adding the value of everything that is put into an item. These factors include cost of materials and the amount of time put into an item. When it comes to art, there is another factor to consider: Soul. you really have to put the essence of your being into a piece to make it good. You can tell an excellent piece of art by how much it moves you when you see it. You said the art you saw was 'amazing'. you used that word for a reason, it made something click inside you. Some art doesn't do that for everyone. And most art IS seriously overpriced. The people who pay outrageous prices for art are usually buying it for the impression, the feeling, the inspiration that they get from looking at or being near the piece.

At one point in time, art was only valuable after the artist had died. That actually made art more deep, because the artist wasn't doing it for the glory or the money, they did it because they needed to pour their soul out, and art was the means to do it.

Answer 4

There are two reasons.

1) It takes a lot of effort to get where you are as an artist. You don't 'just' pay for the painting. You also pay for the uniqueness of this work and the road traveled to get to where it was possible for the artist to make this work.

2) And this is why prices can get REALLY crazy! People are willing to pay that kind of money for it. The more special people think it is the more they will pay. If people with a lot of money agree it is very good it will become very expensive very fast.

Answer 5

I once asked, "What makes a great painting a great painting?" The answer that I received was, "Because, someone said so". It's the same thing with the price of art.

Answer 6

Rarity. An original piece of art is exactly that...not another can be found...unique to the artist...who is also unique.

Answer 7

I guess it would be because they're unique..

Answer 8

not all do.