Why are Jackson Pollock's paintings so expensive a 4 year old could do better?

Answer 1

because it is a very good painting

Because Pollock represents the first major American artist to really go beyond the achievements of modern European painting. This painting was one of the first drip paintings he ever made.

Also Pollock died relatively young, this always ups the fame ante and means there are less than there might have been otherwise available for sale. Personally if i could have any painting in the world, yes it would be a Pollock, but from 3 or 4 years earlier.

But then you could also argue certain European paintings that might sell for even more are unlikely to ever come up for sale. Paintings such as Da Vinci's 'La Gioconda' (quoted for insurance in 1962 at $100million equivalent to $670million in 2006), Picasso's 'Gernika' (tho apparently only valued at 1.6million in 1996??) or any of the Paleolithic cave painting sites such as Lascaux.

That said i expect other Pollock paintings could fetch even higher prices....

Also you have to bear in mind the exponential corporate wealth of modern times, and the status that comes with having the very best. Whatever went on at the private sale there was definitely more than one determined bidder, the buyer was apparently Mexican with a new $55million apartment in New York, maybe others were trying to keep it in American hands.

Answer 2

Jackson Pollock is famous today because of his breakthrough style of painting with his 'drip' technique and his leadership in the movement of abstract expressionism. He was one of the first artists to pave the way for other abstract expressionists, and one of the first to create artwork that was completely abstract and not just semi-abstract like Picasso's style of cubism. His artworks created a change in the world of art and how we see it, and brought among other artists to enrich themselves in the modern art. In the words of Williem De Kooning, "He broke the ice".

Answer 3

Wasn't that a good idea? Since there is no discernable subject.

Answer 4

What you (or I) think does not influence prices. Painings are offered for sale at auction. What somebody is willing to pay is the price, whether you like it or not.

Answer 5

Because somebody wanted to pay that much.