Working Paper: NBER ID: w12058
Authors: David W. Galenson
Abstract: A survey of art history textbooks identifies and ranks the eight most important works of the 20th century. The most important painting of the century was Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, executed by Picasso at the age of 26, which began the development of Cubism. Among the other seven works, a collage, an earthwork, and a ready-made all represent new genres that had not existed at the start of the century. All eight works were made by conceptual artists, at a median age of just 32. The results underline the importance of young conceptual innovators, who made radical departures from existing conventions, in the advanced art of the century. Four of the eight works were made by Picasso and Marcel Duchamp, and this highlights the importance of the versatile conceptual innovators who became a prominent feature of twentieth-century art.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: J0; J4
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| younger artists (Z11) | more radical innovations (O35) |
| age of artists (31.5 years) (Z11) | production of significant works of art (Z11) |
| early career (J62) | conceptual innovations (O35) |
| Duchamp's 'Fountain' (Y40) | redefinition of art (Z11) |