What’s it Worth?
People often disagree wildly about the value of art. Vincent Van Gogh died in poverty, because no one would buy his paintings. Even his friends said that his paintings looked like the work of a madman! Now Van Gogh’s paintings are among the most valuable paintings in the world.
John Ruskin, an art critic of the time, ended up in a court dispute in 1870 over Nocturne in Black And Gold – The Falling Rocket (1875) by James Whistler, an American artist. Ruskin thought Whistler’s painting was haphazard. He could not believe that Whistler wanted 200 guineas for “flinging a pot of paint in the public’s face.”
Whistler responded that the painting’s value did not depend on how long it took him to paint, but on his genius and years of study. He sued Ruskin for libel and won – although he was awarded only a quarter of a penny in damages. So it seems the judge really agreed with Ruskin.
What do you think?
Note: The painting is so blurry that it is hard to see what is going on. In fact, it shows a firework display. At the time in the art world, people were used to a glossy and highly finished picture so this seemed sketchy in comparison.