Monday, April 27, 2020

"Does appraising art ... reduce the appraiser’s appreciation for art the way working in a pork factory might reduce a worker’s appetite for bacon?" (UPDATED)

Marginal Revolution: Corrupted by Commerce? (The answer, by the way, seems to be no: "In fact 'a majority of the assessors stated that ascribing values to art actually increased their admiration for paintings, photographs, sculptures, and other creative work.'")

UPDATE: Derek Fincham comments: "The article is well-written and entertaining, but I just don’t think you get a complete picture of the art market by only talking with appraisers. He also ignores large areas of helpful scholarship from criminologists, totally ignores the Knoedler forgery scandal, and does not acknowledge the problems presented by the antiquities trade. But if you want an entertaining read, I can recommend it."