Anyone unfamiliar with the machinations of the art world could be forgiven for thinking that great art simply finds its way to the light of day. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth – particularly when it comes to the art of the dead. How we experience an artist’s work in the present is in large part down to the inheritors of their estates, who shape the way artists are understood, act as gatekeepers to their archives, preside over the authentication of works and, increasingly, are finding novel and depressing ways to cash in on the reputations of the deceased.
As with anything to do with inheritance, the death of an artist and the management of their estate has a habit of eliciting strong emotions and extreme behaviour. There are tales of extraordinary labours of love, in which confidants and relatives devote themselves to honouring the work of the dead. If it weren’t for Leonardo da Vinci’s pupil Francesco Melzi, who dedicated his life to organising his master’s papers, we would know little of Leonardo’s thoughts on the relationship between art and science.
