As the price of modern machinery, such as computers and cell
phones, decreases, the price of classical artwork continues to rise
exponentially.
Raphael’s “Madonna of the Pinks,” is one such
classical painting. In the J. Paul Getty Museum’s esteem, it
is worth a price tag that has estimatedly reached a phenomenal $50
million.
Though Raphael’s creation is just a painting ““
vibrant colors doused on a panel, recalling the slight touch of the
virgin mother’s hand on her child ““ the Getty has been
in negotiations to acquire the painting from the National Gallery
in London for such a price.
Raphael’s “Madonna of the Pinks” was loosely
based on Da Vinci’s “Benois Madonna.” Painted
between 1507-1508, before he journeyed to Rome to work at the papal
court, Raphael’s creation has recently caused a stir in the
art world.
“The secretive acquisition of the painting is the basis
for all the commotion,” said Gloria Williams, deputy curator
for the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. “The rarity of the
painting and that Raphael painted it so early in his career add to
the appeal.”
Though Getty officials and curators have refused to comment on
the details of their acquisition, it has gained much publicity
because of the clandestine process and great price they appear to
be willing to pay.
The National Gallery has had the painting on loan since 1992
from the Northumberland family, who has held the creation since
1853.
Bo Smith, a publicist from LACMA, speculates that the Getty is
attempting to show historical representations of art because
current collections in other museums are being overpowered by more
modern art.
“Contemporary art has emerged, and because it’s
cheaper than traditional styles, many museums exhibit it,”
Smith said. “The Getty may be trying to keep aspects of
“˜traditional’ art in their gallery with this
purchase.”
Others in the art world, though, feel that the Getty is not
purchasing the painting in an attempt to save the popularity and
importance of traditional art, but rather to strengthen its own
status.
“The Getty is not purchasing the Raphael painting as a
manifesto of traditional art,” Williams said. “It is
merely trying to create a more stable name for itself.”
While the Getty’s acquisition has elicited a lot of
worldwide publicity because of the painting’s rarity and the
competition with London’s National Gallery, this is not the
first sign that classical art is rising in price.
Paintings such as Van Gogh’s “Portrait of Dr.
Gachet” and Renoir’s “Au Moulin de la
Galette” were auctioned for $82.5 million and $71 million,
respectively in 1990, while contemporary paintings, according to
Williams, are more easily replicated and can be sold for
cheaper.
If the Getty does acquire the piece at the speculated price, the
purchase would rank among the highest-priced pieces of artwork,
right around Picasso’s “Les Noces de Pierette,”
which was purchased for $51.7 million in 1989.
“One reason that classical art is so much more expensive
and seen as better than contemporary art (of artists living) is
that (classical) artwork seems to hold its value,” Al Boime,
UCLA professor of art history said. “The art market is stable
because people believe an older painting holds its value over
time.”
Not only will these well-known paintings give museums a sense of
stability, but they will also keep the classical paintings
desirable for the public.
“Contemporary art doesn’t have the narrow style that
classical art does,” Boime said. “Because it is woven
in diverse styles, contemporary art has not established itself yet,
which is why it is not as expensive as classical works
are.”
Whether the Getty aims to acquire Raphael’s work to
further its repertoire or to hold on to classical artwork, its
actions mirror the recent trend of increasing prices in classical
art.
“No painting is worth $50 million,” Boime said.
“It’s ridiculous for a gallery to waste that much money
on a piece of artwork the size of a piece of typewriting
paper.”