# How would I go about buying a "priceless" work of art? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932 "2014-04-25T05:53:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/1 "2014-04-25T05:53:29Z")
I don’t know if this goes in IMHO or GQ, but I’m just going to leave it in IMHO for now. As I am wont to do every time I visit New York City, I spent a couple of hours at The Frick Collection today. By far, my absolute piece there is “Lady Hamilton” by George Romney. I cannot help but smile when I look at her. I literally feel like the world is a better place because she once lived in it. Just a little background: The Frick Collection large, permanent exhibition of art from some legendary artists. Vermeer. Rembrand. Gerard van Spaendonck. Hans Holbein. Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. The display is permanent. But I was thinking tonight, what if I’m a billionaire and I wanted to buy the Lady Hamilton and own it privately? Is there a point where any museum simply can’t turn down the pornographic amounts of money I throw at them? Would the government step in and block the transaction, citing a “national treasure?” ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/2 "2014-04-25T06:51:50Z")
This is going to vary from country to country and museum to museum, but some museums have some kind of stipulation in their charter which doesn’t allow them to sell stuff. The British Museum, for example, cannot sell or give away anything at all in its collection, which is one of the reasons it cites for not giving the Elgin marbles back to Greece. I presume some museums sell off some works to raise funds, but not many are going to sell their feature pieces. Perhaps they’d sell you the Romney on the proviso you agree to give it back to them on permanent loan. Anyway, there’s plenty of major works still in private hands which come up for sale now and then. Just go hang out in some English stately homes and make them an offer - there’s always an old leaky roof needs fixing. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/3 "2014-04-25T10:03:53Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > This is going to vary from country to country and museum to museum, but some museums have some kind of stipulation in their charter which doesn’t allow them to sell stuff. The British Museum, for example, cannot sell or give away anything at all in its collection, which is one of the reasons it cites for not giving the Elgin marbles back to Greece. > > I presume some museums sell off some works to raise funds, but not many are going to sell their feature pieces. Perhaps they’d sell you the Romney on the proviso you agree to give it back to them on permanent loan. > > Anyway, there’s plenty of major works still in private hands which come up for sale now and then. Just go hang out in some English stately homes and make them an offer - there’s always an old leaky roof needs fixing. Similarly, the Mona Lisa is now owned by the State of France and cannot be sold under any circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2014, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/4 "2014-04-25T11:39:32Z")
And even if you do end up being the lucky bidder, some governments will block you exporting the goods,[effectively forcing you to sell to someone else](http://www.cityam.com/blog/1379934842/government-blocks-sale-jane-austen-ring-kelly-clarkson). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/5 "2014-04-26T20:03:13Z")
Museums do sell pieces from time to time. Perhaps they have another, better piece by the same artist. Or museum or collection just needs the money. For example, a few years ago, Thomas Jefferson University [sold a Thomas Eakins painting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gross_Clinic). The general term for this is “[deaccessioning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaccessioning#Deaccessioning).” ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/6 "2014-04-26T22:47:56Z")
The Detroit Institute of Art was investigating selling some of their pieces, but there was an uproar. A new financial arrangement is in the works. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/7 "2014-04-27T00:39:07Z")
Okay, let’s say the OP would be happy with a high-quality reproduction. Would it be (a) legal and (b) feasible to hire someone to create a copy, assuming you got permission (and if so, whose permission would you have to have)? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/8 "2014-04-27T00:49:01Z")
Maybe you could convince them to give the piece on an “extended loan” to a “private museum”—say, for sixty years, at a tiny but technically staffed and organized “museum” located entirely on your mansion grounds, for a large enough donation? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/9 "2014-04-27T01:32:19Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Okay, let’s say the OP would be happy with a high-quality reproduction. Would it be (a) legal and (b) feasible to hire someone to create a copy, assuming you got permission (and if so, whose permission would you have to have)? For anything from the 19th century, it’s both legal and feasible. It’s even been done: The Arkell Museum in Canajoharie NY and a full-size reproduction of Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch.” It was commissioned by Bartlett Arkell and painted from the original at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam to give Americans a chance to see the painting in its original size\* (you don’t get any impression about how _big_ it is from photos). It’s especially interesting in that it was painted before the painting was restored: the actual painting is not a night scene; years of soot and pollution made it seem so, and the Arkell version shows you what it looked like before restoration. Nearly all museums allow artists to make copies of any out-of-copyright works in their collections, though there usually are restrictions that the copies are smaller or larger than the original. \*Or, rather the size it was when the copy was made. It had been cut down a bit. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/10 "2014-04-27T03:46:12Z")
Sadly, I think you will have an especially hard time with Lady Hamilton, as it was part of the original estate collected personally by Frick. Romney painted Lady Hamilton A LOT, you might have better luck seeing if a less solvent museum has another one you like (and some is in private collections, too). ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/11 "2014-04-27T15:59:47Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Okay, let’s say the OP would be happy with a high-quality reproduction. Would it be (a) legal and (b) feasible to hire someone to create a copy, assuming you got permission (and if so, whose permission would you have to have)? > [@RealityChuck](#): > > Nearly all museums allow artists to make copies of any out-of-copyright works in their collections, though there usually are restrictions that the copies are smaller or larger than the original. Most museums don’t allow you to use paint (or pens) in the building, though. Pencil sketches are usually fine, although as you say there may be size restrictions. I visited the Frick a few months ago and noticed that their [sketching policy](http://www.frick.org/visit/museum/sketching) does not even allow colored pencils, only lead pencils and charcoal. So an artist could make a bunch of sketches while looking at the original painting, but would need to go elsewhere to paint the actual reproduction. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/12 "2014-04-27T16:06:55Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Most museums don’t allow you to use paint (or pens) in the building, though. Pencil sketches are usually fine, although as you say there may be size restrictions. I visited the Frick a few months ago and noticed that their [sketching policy](http://www.frick.org/visit/museum/sketching) does not even allow colored pencils, only lead pencils and charcoal. So an artist could make a bunch of sketches while looking at the original painting, but would need to go elsewhere to paint the actual reproduction. Again this will depend on the gallery. I saw someone painting with oils (and copying a painting) in London’s National Gallery very recently. I presume you need permission first. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/13 "2014-04-27T16:41:26Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Again this will depend on the gallery. The painting the OP is interested in belongs to the Frick, so the Frick’s policy is the one that would apply there. > [@](#): > > I saw someone painting with oils (and copying a painting) in London’s National Gallery very recently. I presume you need permission first. The [National Gallery’s website](http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/sketching-in-the-gallery) says that you can request permission to use paint there, but there’s nothing like that in the Frick’s sketching policy. Since the Frick is housed in the old Frick mansion and contains a lot of valuable antique furniture and decorations in addition to the paintings and sculptures, I would guess that they are even more concerned about spills and splashes than most museums. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/14 "2014-04-27T17:31:10Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > The painting the OP is interested in belongs to the Frick, so the Frick’s policy is the one that would apply there. > > The [National Gallery’s website](http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/sketching-in-the-gallery) says that you can request permission to use paint there, but there’s nothing like that in the Frick’s sketching policy. Since the Frick is housed in the old Frick mansion and contains a lot of valuable antique furniture and decorations in addition to the paintings and sculptures, I would guess that they are even more concerned about spills and splashes than most museums. That just makes them seem particularly uptight. The National Gallery is hardly an old shack full of junk. ---
**Author:** ![CatherineZeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@CatherineZeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatherineZeta)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/15 "2014-04-27T18:33:28Z")
I know of an artist who does colored pencil sketches of famous works and sells them for less than $100. I’m assuming everything he draws is in the public domain and therefore everything is above board. I just googled Lady Hamilton. I’ve never noticed her painting in the Frick- if anything I would have been distracted by the artist’s name- but a Google search turned up pages worth of paintings of this woman so surely you could get a reproduction. Or make a collage of her 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-i-go-about-buying-a-priceless-work-of-art/686932/16 "2014-04-27T18:56:21Z")
If you like that particular painting, you can go to a website like [art.com](http://art.com) and buy a print of it. They have giclee prints starting at $40 (for 12" x 16") or printed on a stretched canvas at $275 (for 30" x 36.5"), with various other options in between those.