Why do people buy reproductions of paintings?

At least he pours money into the Art market. Dont be so stuck up, not everyone can be super Smart about Art.

>>2729877
If it's actually painted (well) then it can be nicer than a print since you have the physical paint texture of it, though I doubt they used the gold leaf that Klimt did so it's an odd choice.

It's his money anyhow, so he can spend it how he likes. I think it's nice that someone is willing to spend $500 on art, even if it is just a Chinese labour camp painting. Most people tend to not value art at all.

Also you don't need to study art or do art yourself to appreciate it. You're basically saying "so my friend just bought a CD! He says he likes the music on it! What a retard he can't even play the viola and never studied music theory! Why are people such retards about music?"

>>2729878
The Chinese reproduction market is not the same as supporting local arts or even creatives abroad.

If these artists did their own shit on the side and you bought that, you might have a point. Buying assembly line knockoffs from underpaid laborers doesn't qualify as supporting the arts

>>2729877
>painting filled with hidden vaginas and boobs
It speaks to me too anon ;)

>>2729881
this

>>2729877

Maybe he doesn't have the money to buy original work.

>>2729891
500 bucks will buy you a pretty nice piece from a local artist where I'm from

>>2729893
Not everywhere has good local artists, and $500 won't buy a full sized large painting like the friend of OP got. It's also silly to complain of not supporting locals when you don't do the same in other areas of your life. Do you buy all your food locally grown? Your clothes locally made? Your electronics? No?

>>2729895
Yeah, I try to shop locally as much as possible actually. Even if your town doesn't have an art scene you can make a trip to a nearby city or have work shipped. You can find decent sized work for half a grand, or get way higher quality than the Chinese knockoff and go smaller. Lots of artists also sell large prints of their better paintings.

You're right that you won't get something over 5 feet tall like OP says his "friend" has, but you'll be supporting the local arts and have something original and creative.

>>2729899
4 1/2 feet tall*

>>2729899
Fair points, but I think most people would rather have a work of art on their wall that is important to them (as seems to be the case with the Klimt here) than supporting some local whose work you may not connect to as much. Also most people are pretty clueless about finding art and artists so the lazy route is to order from China. I don't think he's doing any harm by doing so.

>>2729907
>most people are pretty clueless about finding art and artists so the lazy route is to order from China
This I agree with. I also don't have a problem with him buying Chinese paintings. As an artist I'd rather he buy locally, but it doesn't really concern me. I'm just saying that 500 bucks is plenty of money to buy an original piece, so the "too broke" argument doesn't really fly.