Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear

Remember about our new cycle, Wednesday Thought on Art? Today we want to talk a bit about the value of art. This van Gogh's self-portrait has been bought for $90 million by a private collector in late 90s. It is one of the most expensive paintings in the world. Usually on different lists of this kind, you would find a couple of van Gogh's. When you think about it more, it sounds ridiculous. 100 years ago Vincent was an unknown artist struggling with mental states. It is claimed that he sold only one painting in his lifetime (just months before he died) though he finished almost 900 paintings. And you know that his brother was an art dealer, right? So why his works are beating world records in sales? What changed? The art market is mostly shaped by art dealers and collectors and this world is run by its own rules, that are completely different from the rules we know from modern economy. Artists have status of celebrities. Everything is shaped by PR and van Gogh, paradoxically, had a perfect story. He may have been a first modern artist whose public image has been so influential for popular culture. We can also mention that couple of years after his suicide the aesthetics of his works became more appealing to art wealthy collectors. But who can tell - and judge - why van Gogh became such a hero in art world? The one thing is sure - in his diaries and letters van Gogh claimed that he never wanted to be famous. Well, the history disagreed.