Guardian Unlimited | Columnists | This miser’s hoard is the last vestige of the imperial world-viewThe truth is that applying words such as “worth” and “value” to art is an abuse of language…. The picture was expensive because, unless Christie’s was pulling a fast one in a “negotiated” secret deal, there must have been another buyer prepared to pay nearly as much…. not a month goes by that we don’t hear about the new highest price paid for a work of art. Sotheby’s and Christies are rolling in sales and the curators in New York are combing the art schools looking for the next big thing (over here!).