art market/ art history

In the 21st century free-market, art has become an elusive product. Yes, I said product. IF you buy art, then you are a consumer and carry the responsibility of knowing what it is that you purchase and for what reasons you are giving said amount of money for. If we look at shoes, and all you arelooking for is a decent pair of shiny leather point toe dress shoes to wear once for an outdoor occassion, then going to a discount shoe outlet and dropping 20.00 would be appropriate, but if you are looking to take the same shoe and embed style, legacy, and refinement into your image as a sign to others, so that you can generate a mystery of what it is that you possess then $200 on some Gucci loafers might be appropriate, and if by some off chance that you collect soes as an investment then you might look at $2000 David Hicks. Art these days is no different. Perceieved value and appropriateness to intent. That is not to say that the factors of the valuation of so simple. Even if it makes sense, you might be sold snake-oil, so it is important to know the context of the art market and art history to keep from being snowed over.