Does art sell based purely on the quality and talent of the work?

No, this is complete nonsense and a meritocracy myth. The Van Gogh example proves this: his brother’s widow held a grand salon show in Paris with all of Van Gogh’s masterworks—Starry Night, the sunflowers, everything we now know as priceless. The right people attended, yet nothing sold. Later, she published Van Gogh’s letters explaining why he painted what he painted, his mental state, and his stories. The book became a bestseller. She held another show, and all the work sold. It’s not a meritocracy on the work—it’s about the story of the artist. Human beings crave the story behind the art. Every artist has a story worth telling, and there’s a tribe interested in hearing it.

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Asked by general teaching point · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-07-24