Van Gogh’s Irises Sells for $53.9 Million
At a glance:
- Series: Great Events from History II: Arts and Culture Series
- Categories: Arts, Economics
- Subcategories: Artists, Artisans, Painting, Painters, Drawing, Business, Trade, Commerce
- Curriculum: American History 1951-present, 20th & 21st Century European History, Australian/New Zealand History, Asian History
- Geographical Location: New York City
- Date: 1987
Article abstract: Vincent van Gogh’s Irises sold for $53.9 million at a New York auction, shocking the art world and reflecting economic changes that led to the use of art as a commodity traded by the rich.
Summary of Event
Like the stock market, the price of art began rising during the mid-1980’s, reaching levels it had never reached before. Art became an investment, more prestigious than pork futures but, for many buyers, having the same ultimate reward--making money. Prices began to soar around 1983, with a few Renaissance and early modern...
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