Conflicts of Value in the Western Art World Since the Renaissance

FAIN: FA-52530-06

John Brewer
California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA 91125-0001)

This project investigates tensions and conflicts between aesthetic, monetary and ‘heritage’ value in the visual arts in the West since the Renaissance, and how these have affected the workings of the art world. The project is divided into four parts, each combining general analysis with detailed case studies. The first explores the often fraught relationship between those who made art and those who commissioned and collected it. The second focuses on the morally ambiguous figure of the art dealer. The third examines the Jekyll and Hyde relationship between art forgers and art experts, while the final section addresses the vexed question of artistic heritage and the proprietorship of culture.