Prices are generally determined by what the market will bear. The high-end art market is bearing those prices. At the same time as those fairs and nearly the s

Prices are generally determined by what the market will bear. The high-end art market is bearing those prices. At the same time as those fairs and nearly the same place are sometimes dozens of satellite fairs with lower prices. Impressionism came to light from such fairs a century and a half ago, so they've met the demand curve for a long time. High-end fairs have no monopoly. There is a range of options from high-end to low-end. Seems to me the market is doing fine and has been for centuries. If you complain that you can't afford the high-end art, you can go to museums or make your own for nearly free.