The great art works of the world have always had a hold on us. We price their unique inspiration, the immense skills with which they were created and their reflection of not just their times but us at their time or even, when they are best, they capture some of the eternal essence of what it means to be human.
The value of great art is transcendent, and even in the most dire times of crisis, we still remember their uniqueness and their value. One only have to look at the Second World War for an example. During this great time of crisis, the US army created a special unit to help protect the cultural treasures of Europe. Nicknamed the Monument Men by the troops, it was their jobs not only to seek out the many art treasures looted by the Nazis but also to help ensure that only minimal further damage was caused by the war actions. Among the latter is the bombing of the rail yard in Florence 1944, which was carefully planned as to avoid hitting historic buildings and sites. Among their first were the recovery of huge amounts of art Hitler's personal hoard deep in a salt mine in the Austrian Alps. Of course today, in more peaceful times, the high value we place on art and our cultural heritage is easier reflected in auction prices as buyers happily pay $140 million for an original Pollock or $135 for a Gustav Klimt.
Still, today most of these great pieces of art are to be found either in private collections or in museums. For the ordinary valet, they are not directly available, unless a picture or possibly a print can suffice. If you want to see the real painting, if it is even publicly exhibited it is most probably at least a plane ride and a heavy entrance fee away. The worlds art treasures are indeed not always immediately available for your viewing pleasure.
The wind of change is blowing, however, especially in the form of the internet. Go to art reproductions and all of a certain the artistic achievements of the ages are available right there and then (at least the paintings). And not only that: You can actually order your own museum quality reproductions of your favorite paintings and have them shipped directly to your doorstep. Gone are the days where you had to rely on posters or prints to recreate your favorite pieces of art. These days you can have a highly skilled artist reproduce your favorite painting for you. Whether you like Van Gogh, Renoir, Klimt or other, they are now all within reach. And while what you receive is not the original painting, it comes so dangerously close that it can be hard to spot the difference. A website like art reproductions actually pick artists that specialize in the concrete styles of painting of the artists they reproduce so the resulting artworks are just amazing and, as is also claimed by them, truly museum quality.
This creates new opportunities for lovers of classic art, as even with the originals are hidden away in private collections, vaults and museum collections, it is actually now possible to have your own reproduction of these timeless pieces right there on the wall. It is the democratization of art and it is making the classic masters finally available to the public, the way e.g. modern portraits have previously done it for the portrait painting. It also helps us ensure that a new generation can become aware of the unique beauty of the art world, as we are able to finally bring the arts home with us.
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