Valuing Iconic Art: The Starry Night's Worth in Context

How does a museum place a value on a priceless work of art? And how much does it cost to keep it safe? Zachary Crockett appraises the situation.

• SOURCES:
  • Glenn Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Why Climate Activists Are Still Throwing Food and Paint at Famous Artworks," by Tala Ansari (Wall Street Journal, 2023).
  • "The Woman Who Made van Gogh," by Russell Shorto (New York Times, 2021).
  • "The Lillie P. Bliss collection," (MoMA Collection, 1934).
  • "May Belfort," by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Cleveland Museum of Art, 1895).
  • "Still Life with a Bottle," by Paul Cézanne (Pola Museum, 1890).
  • "The Starry Night," by Vincent Van Gogh (MoMA Collection, 1889).
  • "Portrait of Victor Chocquet Seated," by Paul Cézanne (1877).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Hotel Art," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2025).
  • "The Hidden Side of the Art Market," by Freakonomics Radio (2021).