On the other hand, “’Why sell it just once (to status-seekers, who don’t likely know a Courbet from a Gorky, or Maxim from Arshile, for that matter) when you can sell it three times (to same)?’”

Were Stuart Davis and Arshile Gorky (who was not an Abstract Expressionist anymore than was de Kooning. Both painters, by the way, far better than any Abstract Expressionist) still with us, I’m certain they’d appreciate exquisitely rich irony in connection with Salander’s sense of humor.

What swindle? Different than the one perpetrated when one forks over seriously hard-earned dough to view tedious tennis match performed by brats or same tired movie?

Mr. McEnroe might want to get back to abusing center “court” referees and linesmen while swatting at yellow balls with a “racket.” Mr. De Niro to shoot-em-ups.

See, it’s like this, John, and both Bobs, and you too, Earl…

Never mind, since what’s the use if/when you regard paintings first in commodity-fetish terms.

I suppose prosecution of Mr. Salander is wearily necessary if fine art made over course of human history is not to be emptied of only “value” that remains. And for the sake of painters—as opposed to fetish-minded dealers and collectors—trying to make paintings while scraping by performing lousy-paying jobs that none of aforementioned ever had to do for more than a year or two, if for that long.

I ditto Ed Harges.

But, if he had to steal from anybody, it couldn’t have happened to a more appropriate PRICK than John McEnroe.

Now THAT’s a cheerful thought.

Artists have been cheated by galleries.  I just googled to refresh my memory.  Mark Rothko’s estate sued Marlborough Gallery and the case (with gallery owner convicted in 1983, after an 11 year case).  Irony is that many artists, most artists, do not have galleries representing them.  It is not that uncommon for galleries to cheat artists when reporting sales and giving the artist her/his “share” (ever shrinking).  Best to have a good contract.

This is simply an extreme example of the current economic disease of America: everyone wants to live like a millionaire for the rest of his or her life off the proceeds from selling a lucky-find asset, not through creating actual goods or providing actual services.

Everybody wants to sell a house (bought with borrowed money), or a painting, or something bought at a flea market for two dollars, and then retire in comfort and splendor at age 35. Nobody wants to work or produce anything.

It’s the “Antiques Road Show” economy.