ART and money. El Greco's "Christ on the Cross".

Commenting on the fight to buy El Greco's "Christ on the cross", John Wonder says:

"I frankly find this sort of thing absurd. Why should the original be worth so much more than a faithful copy? What is the difference? It strikes me that it caters to cocktail chatter."

John is quite right. Once in Vienna I wanted to see the Codex Vindobonensis in the Imperial Library; it is important for the pre-Colombian history of Mexico. Only a copy is on display. I asked to see the original, As a special favor, it was brought out of the vault. I could not see any difference between the original and the copy.

However, "absurd" is not the word. the fight was sacrilegious.

Ronald Hilton - 7/16/00