10 Facts & Statistics About Art During the COVID-19 Pandemic

10 Curiosidades & Estadísticas del Arte Durante la Pandemia de COVID-19 - KUADROS

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As the pandemic numbers improve in some countries and worsen in others, it is always refreshing to escape reality by immersing oneself in the curious and enriching world of art.

Art is, in itself, a complete universe of vast information and evolutionary history of humanity, connected to our DNA from the first cave paintings in the Altamira caves to Banksy's graffiti.

But there are ways to cheat slow knowledge acquisition, and this time Kuadros brings you a compendium of 10 fascinating statistics about the art world, with some data especially influenced by the COVID pandemic.

Some statistics are very predictable, such as, what is the most searched painting on the planet? Here, the fascination with the Mona Lisa shows no respite. Other times, we are surprised by emerging movements like digital art and new NFTs.

Let's get straight to the point and explore the 10 most curious statistics during the COVID-19 pandemic:

No.1 What are the 6 most searched paintings by users?

The Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci: 10 million searches per year
The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo: 5 million searches
Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh: 3 million searches
Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer: 1.5 million searches
The Scream, Edvard Munch: 500,000 searches
The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci: 460,000 searches

Source: Google Arts

No. 02 What style of painting sells the most?

Abstract Paintings are the best-selling paintings

Since most abstract artworks do not have a recognizable theme nor relate to anything external, viewers often interpret an abstract painting for themselves. Therefore, it makes sense that abstract paintings are always the best sellers in the art world.

Within abstract art, there are different themes, such as the geometric work of Piet Mondrian and the more fluid spontaneous paintings of Wassily Kandinsky or Jackson Pollock.

Learn a little more about the fascinating world of lyrical abstraction and its secrets.

Final Judgment Angel - Kandinsky

No. 03 What are the 10 most famous paintings in history?

The Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci
The Last Supper, Leonardo Da Vinci
Starry Night, Vincent Van Gogh
The Scream, Edvard Munch
Guernica, Pablo Picasso
The Kiss, Gustav Klimt
Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer
The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli
Las Meninas, Diego Velázquez
The Creation of Adam, Michelangelo

Source: CNN

The Birth of Venus - Botticelli

You can also see our complete list of the 100 most famous paintings in history.

No. 03 Who are the 10 most important painters in history?

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) Painter, scientist, inventor, and limitless celebrity of the Renaissance. Da Vinci is one of the most famous painters in the world for his iconic Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Dutch post-impressionist painter. His famous paintings include; Sunflowers, Starry Night, and Café Terrace at Night.
Rembrandt (1606–1669) Dutch master. One of the greatest painters in history, admired for his vivid realism. His famous paintings include The Jewish Bride and The Storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Michelangelo (1475-1564) Renaissance sculptor, painter, and architect. His famous paintings include his epic mural on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which includes the famous Creation of Adam.
Claude Monet (1840-1926), French impressionist painter. His famous paintings include Water Lilies, Women in the Garden, and Impression, Sunrise.
Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Spanish painter, modern "cubist." His famous works include Guernica and The Dove of Peace.
Raphael (1483-1520), Italian painter. Raphael, da Vinci, and Michelangelo form the trinity of the High Renaissance. His famous paintings include Crucifixion Mond and The Marriage of the Virgin.
Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) French painter, one of the early pioneers of Impressionism. Also influenced by the Italian Renaissance. His famous works include Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette and Luncheon of the Boating Party.
Johannes Vermeer (1632–1675) Dutch painter specializing in genre painting: vivid depictions of still life. His famous paintings include View of Delft, Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Milkmaid.
Paul Cezanne (1839-1906), French post-impressionist painter. His famous paintings include: The Card Players and The Large Bathers.

Crucifixion Mond - Raphael

No. 04 Who is the most searched artist on Google?

As art lovers around the world were forced to spend much of last year without access to museums and galleries, 2020 was the year when keyboards and screens, rather than in-person visits, brought us closer to our favorite artists.

Gareth Evans, search engine optimization consultant at Ken Bromley Art Supplies, compiled data from 199 countries taken from Google Keyword Planner, an analytical tool that categorizes the terms used by the autocomplete search bar.

Leonardo da Vinci was, by far, the most popular artist, topping the searches in 84 countries (42%), including most of Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Southern and Eastern Africa. The interest in the artist was fueled by major exhibitions (both virtual and physical) that opened in 2019 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his death, as well as ongoing stories surrounding the attribution of his famous painting, Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting in history.

Salvator Mundi - Leonardo Da Vinci

Salvator Mundi

No. 05 Was the Mona Lisa a real person?

Writings from the time say that Lisa Gherardini, the real Mona Lisa, was a very beautiful woman.

We have always been fascinated by the painting of the famous Gioconda. It is a must-see every time we arrive in Paris. However, few know that the protagonist really existed and lived in Florence.

A new book on the subject suggests that the Mona Lisa posed with a dark smile because she married a slave trader at just 15 years old.

Lisa Gherardini, the real-life model who posed for the iconic painting, was pushed into a marriage with the wealthy Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo.

To fully understand the story of the Mona Lisa, it is important to research the relevance of the famous del Giocondo and his place in Tuscan society.

Francesco del Giocondo, born in 1465, was only 24 years old when he was elected in 1489 as Consul of the Silk Guild - 'L'Arte della Seta' - his ambition and business acumen were recognized from the start.

In 1472, Benedetto Dei, chronicler and trade agent for the Medici family, reported that there were eighty-three major silk workshops in Florence. The Silk Guild, also known as "Arte di Por San Maria," was one of the most powerful guilds in the city: it oversaw production and ensured that all silk fabrics manufactured in the city adhered to strict standards of measurement and quality. Many types of silk and velvet fabrics were produced in Florence, but the most famous were the "auroserici," silk fabrics enhanced with gold thread, which dominated the global textile market during the Renaissance. Del Giocondo and his brothers owned two shops and rented an additional one in the Por Santa Maria area, which has been linked to the silk trade since the 14th century.

Francesco del Giocondo's coup in securing the services of the great Leonardo to paint a portrait of his wife was actually an extraordinary achievement, considering the elevated environment in which the artist normally worked.

It is worth noting that there is no record of Francesco del Giocondo making a payment to Da Vinci, nor is there any mention of the painting in his will. A painting of such importance from the great master would likely have been noted, and this is further evidence that the great master would not have delivered the unfinished Mona Lisa, but would have taken it with him when he left the Tuscan city.

Replica of the Mona Lisa made by Kuadros - Leonardo Da Vinci

No. 06 What art will sell the most in 2021-2022?

There are many factors that determine what art will sell better in specific markets.

Traditionally, it has been thought that landscapes sold strongest, followed by seascapes and still lifes, with the figure trailing afterward, where the male figure typically sold more slowly than the female figure.

Abstract work used to float somewhere in the middle. That state of affairs is no longer true. Geographic regions and cultural influences often determine which type of art will sell more than another.

In 2021, the phenomenon of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) exploded, or original art sold as a simple digital file. The allure of NFTs for the buyer is knowing they have purchased the original file from the artist, even though the image may be copied infinitely. The explosion of NFTs in the market is accompanied by the flourishing of the cryptocurrency market.

During the peak of the pandemic, an NFT by artist Beeple sold at Christie's for nearly 70 million dollars, making it the most expensive NFT ever sold at auction.

The final sale price could increase as final bids are processed and auction fees are added, potentially elevating the total. But the sale capped two weeks of frantic online bidding and marked the beginning of a new era in collectibles, where the prices of blockchain-based digital images now rival the prices paid for Picassos and Monets.

While the future of NFT prices and their long-term role in the art world remains an open question, and many see it as a speculative fad, Beeple's eight-figure price has caused the art world to take note of the new trend.

NFT trading art is expected to increase significantly in 2021-2022.

NFT sold by Beeple for 69 million dollars

No. 07 What makes a painting valuable? 10 factors that determine a painting's price

During the COVID pandemic, a painting by Francis Bacon sold for 84 million at a Sotheby's auction, making it one of the most expensive works of art ever sold at auction. But, how is it possible that a canvas covered in paint could be worth such an astounding sum, even in tough times?

These are the 10 factors that make a painting valuable:

Authenticity of the painting. The first element that distinguishes a cheap painting from an expensive one is, of course, its authenticity. A real Monet will always be worth more than a replica.
Provenance of the painting. The provenance of a work of art, or the history of who it has belonged to, is another determining factor of its value. For example, if a painting was once owned by a prominent collector or came from a respected gallery, its value will automatically increase.
Condition of the work. This factor is a bit obvious, but the condition of a painting is an important factor. If, for example, a work of art has sun damage or a tear, that will negatively affect its price.
Historical significance. The lover of a painting should ask: is this work an important player in the canon of art history? If it is, several zeros can be added to its final price.
The artist's popularity. Similarly, if the artist is in vogue at the moment, their artwork will sell for much more, regardless of whether the work has long-term staying power.
Recognition. If the artwork in question exhibits recognizable characteristics of a famous artist, its value will increase. For example, a cubist painting by Picasso will typically cost more than one of his early landscapes because people always associate Picasso with the cubist movement.
Artist's background. If an artist has an interesting backstory, such as a premature death, for example, the price will increase. This is partly due to whether the painter produced fewer works by virtue of dying young. If that is the case, the laws of supply and demand come into play significantly. Moreover, artists' lives tend to fascinate the public, so any captivating story of a painter will help sell their work for a higher price.
The medium of the work. Generally speaking, works on canvas will always sell for more than those made on paper. Likewise, paintings will sell for more than a design sketch or, of course, an print.
The color. Color also plays a part in determining a painting's value. Historically, paintings that contain red, for example, have always cost more.
The subject. Works of art on certain subjects tend to sell for more than others. For example, paintings of beautiful women tend to be valued more than paintings of men, although, of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Sunny landscapes tend to triumph over dark ones, just as boats on calm seas fare better than boats in a storm. However, it’s worth noting that when talking about the work of a very famous painter, these rules do not tend to apply. For example, they do not apply to the work The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, by Rembrandt.

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee - Rembrandt

And to conclude, there is an intangible factor of great influence on a painting's value, the "Wall Power". Although it is difficult to quantify in words, the "Wall Power" of a work of art is perhaps the most important determining factor in estimating its final value. If a work surprises and inspires the audience, it will help drive up the final price of the work.

No. 08 What were the most searched paintings during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021)?

See the complete lists of the 10 most searched paintings on Google in 2020 here (the figures represent the average monthly number of global online searches):