Im Reich der Dinge

Über den materiellen und immateriellen Wert von Kunstwerken aus der Sicht von Krzysztof Pomian und Michael Thompson

Abstract

In the World of Objects. On the Material and Immaterial Value of Works of Art as Seen by Krzysztof Pomian and Michael Thompson

What determines the often ludicrous value of collectors’ items? What distinguishes objects in a collection from those in daily use? Krzysztof Pomian provides answers by examining the historical origin of collecting. Michael Thompson has shown in his “Rubbish Theory” that the material value of objects is determined by the immaterial value attributed to it by society.