The ‘Death Effect’ On Artists’ Prices Actually Happens Before They’re Dead (If They Live Long Enough)

“[A pair of research economists] say the death effect – traditionally conceived of as the price bump an artist gets after her death – is actually only observable for living artists, and only in the five years leading up to an artist’s death. In redefining the ‘death effect,’ their research helps explain rising prices for a large cohort of prominent artists reaching advanced ages.”