*This article discusses art solely in the context of painting.
1. Artworks are spiritual creations that transcend commercial pursuits.
Regardless of the subject matter, be it landscape or portrait, and irrespective of the artist’s technical skill or the beauty of the work, a painting that merely imitates its predecessors, simply repeating what has already been done, without embodying the artist’s deepest feelings or expressing their own unique perspective and thought, can only be considered decorative, documentary, a gift or a collectible. While it may have some commercial value, it cannot be considered to have much artistic value.
In contrast to the previous situation, another category of painters views artworks as spiritual creations that transcend commercial pursuits. Their purpose in painting is solely to express their heartfelt emotions through their works. These individuals often possess rich life experiences and insights, a profound understanding and judgment of social progress and problems, and a deep understanding of the living conditions of people from all walks of life. They are like thinkers and commentators, except that thinkers and commentators use language and words to express their views on society, their understanding of truth, and their yearning for freedom. Artists, on the other hand, use their paintings to express these inner convictions. Both approaches converge, that is, they both strive to promote human improvement, comfort hearts, heal trauma, and awaken the soul through their efforts.
Among the Chinese public, even those with a little knowledge of art know Leonardo da Vinci’s (Italian, 1452-1519) painting, the Mona Lisa. Painters from the same era as da Vinci created countless beautiful works, and their lifelike, masterful paintings hang everywhere in churches, estates, temples, and palaces. However, very few people in China can name other European painters and their works from that era, yet countless people can easily name da Vinci and his oil painting, the Mona Lisa. This is because da Vinci used this painting to express his unique insights and the unique vision deep within his soul. The common woman in the painting cannot hide the stirrings of her heart, and her face reveals a subtle smile that is not easily noticed. In this work, da Vinci did not praise the nobility but instead praised a common woman, praising her pursuit of freedom, equality, and happiness. This was considered inconceivable or even rebellious in the painting world of that time, but it was this painting that made da Vinci’s artistic name famous for all eternity, while the names of those highly skilled painters from his time have long since been lost.
This demonstrates that only artworks created without a profit motive and possessing intellectual depth, foresight, and a value system can be passed down through the ages.
2. The realization of the value of an artwork lies in its spiritual power.
Artworks certainly have value. According to relevant information, the ten most expensive paintings in the world as of 2017 were:
- “Salvator Mundi” , sold for $450 million. Artist: Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519), a leading figure of the Florentine school.
- “Interchange”, sold for $300 million. Artist: Willem de Kooning (Dutch-American, 1904-1997), one of the leading figures of abstract expressionism.
- “The Card Players”, sold for $259 million. Artist: Paul Cézanne (French, 1839-1906), a pioneer of modern art.
- “When Will You Marry?”, sold for $210 million. Artist: Paul Gauguin (French, 1848-1903), a leading figure of Post-Impressionism.
- “No. 17A”, sold for $200 million. Artist: Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956), a pioneer of action painting.
- “The Lady and the Gentleman in Black”, sold for €160 million. Artist: Rembrandt (Dutch, 1606-1669), a leading figure of the Dutch school.
- “The Women of Algiers (Version O)”, sold for $179 million. Artist: Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), founder of modern art.
- “Reclining Nude”, sold for $170 million. Artist: Amedeo Modigliani (Italian, 1884-1920), an expressionist painter.
- “Masterpiece”, sold for $165 million. Artist: Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997), a leading figure of pop art.
- “Number 5, 1948”, sold for $140 million. Artist: Jackson Pollock (American, 1912-1956), a pioneer of action painting.
In Western society, the most historically significant paintings are traditional classical oil paintings. However, of the ten works listed above, only two are traditional classical oil paintings. The other eight are abstract, expressionist, symbolist, impressionist, post-impressionist, modern art, and pop art. Why is it that traditional classical oil paintings, which are the cornerstone of Western painting, both in terms of their long history as artifacts and their technical difficulty, are not as valuable on the market as modern art? The conclusion is that traditional classical oil paintings lack the expression of the artist’s inner feelings, the articulation of ideas, the call for pursuit, and the support of values. Therefore, it is not surprising that the market price, as a benchmark for the value of art, tilts the balance of gold content towards contemporary art, which embodies the artist’s voice.
It is particularly worth mentioning that Jackson Pollock, whose two works are among the ten most expensive paintings in the world, was met with polarized criticism at the time. One side was extremely derogatory: “This guy is crazy, unbearable!” The other side was full of praise, believing that a genius had been born after Picasso. One critic said: “The dripping brown, white, purple, and black paint in this painting, densely intertwined and left on the canvas, forms an exciting and vibrant pattern, which reminds people to oppose restraint and uphold the spirit of freedom.”
The painter aims to express his deepest feelings, making his work a product of his spirit. His work will be unique, attract more attention, and have more impact and vitality.
