Recent Old Master auctions in New York have defied narratives of market decline, totaling over $185 million across Sotheby’s and Christie’s. High-profile sales included a newly discovered Michelangelo drawing for $27.2 million, a Canaletto masterpiece for $30.5 million, and a record-breaking Rembrandt drawing sold for $17.8 million. These results, alongside the Italian state's $14.9 million acquisition of an Antonello da Messina, suggest that historical masterpieces remain premier "civilisational assets" and stable financial havens during periods of economic volatility.
Despite this commercial strength, the author critiques institutional shifts toward performative engagement, specifically targeting the National Gallery’s £250,000 "citizens’ jury" initiative. While intended to democratize museum governance, the project is dismissed as a managed exercise in "box-ticking" that prioritizes vague social value over practical improvements like national collection sharing. The contrast highlights a tension between the enduring cultural and financial value of Old Masters and the modern museum's struggle to define its public role without falling into bureaucratic jargon.