How Much Is Art Really Worth?

Story by Jaslene Barnes. Photo courtesy of PaperCity Magazine.

JAN. 2, 2020: Do you like art? Well, I think art is really interesting. Most art pieces tell a story about the artist or tell us about something that is going on in the world. Art Basel is a privately owned and managed art fair where artists sell their best pieces. In 2020 Art Basel is going to be the biggest international art fair. At Art Basel Miami this year, which took place from December 5-8, there was a banana tapped on the wall that sold for $120,000. Isn’t that crazy? Most people wouldn’t expect art to cost this much, but it does. Here are other pieces of famous art that are worth large amounts of money.

 The Mona Lisa  The Mona Lisa was created by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1503. The Mona Lisa is in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The Mona Lisa is worth $100 million. It is now described as the best Italian self-portrait known to mankind.  Photo courtesy of Wikiart.com.

Starry Night  Starry Night was created by Vincent Van Gogh in 1889. The piece was created with oil pastels. The story behind the painting is that this was the view from his asylum Saint-Rémy-de-Provence right before sunrise. Van Gogh was at the asylum because he was mentally ill. Starry Night is worth $80 million and can be found at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.  Photo courtesy of Mental Floss.

The American Gothic  The American Gothic was made by Grant Wood in 1930. The piece is made with beaverboard and oil paint. The piece is worth $6.96 million. The painting can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago The term ‘American Gothic’ is a statement about American farmers, since we see a farmer holding a pitchfork beside his wife. Photo courtesy of flicker.com

Sometimes we forget how much art is really worth. Even a banana taped to a wall can cost thousands of dollars, but should it? That is still up for debate. 

Jaslene Barnes is a 6th grade scholar at Friendship Woodridge International School.