Beyond 'Inestimable': Proposals for Measuring Cultural Value

Following the high-profile theft from the Museo di Messina, Stefano Monti's article in Artribune critiques the use of the term 'inestimable' for stolen artworks. He argues that this label obscures the existence of a clandestine market where such works do have prices, and it reduces value to monetary terms. Monti discusses alternative valuation methods, particularly contingent valuation, which surveys people's willingness to pay for or give up cultural assets. He suggests that fluctuations in these hypothetical prices could reflect shifts in cultural, identity, and social values, offering a way to measure the public's attachment to heritage. The article proposes that while market value may remain inapplicable, understanding what artworks mean to people could improve cultural management and policy. The piece references the theft of works by Antonello da Messina from the Museo di Messina, including 'Ecce Homo' and 'Madonna con il Bambino e Santo Francescano in adorazione', and mentions the Carabinieri Nucleo di Tutela del Patrimonio as evidence of a thriving illegal market.