This is a re-release of a book that instantly became a cult favorite both in Europe and in Russia. In his study, intended for the widest public, Piroshka Dossi tries to reveal the secrets of a system that allows artists to earn millions and makes mere mortals resent them millions received seemingly “for nothing.” Drawing on data from the fields of economics, sociology, psychology and art history, Dossey expertly analyzes the phenomenon of trading in “eternal values,” the very essence of these “eternal values,” as well as the changes that are happening to the art market in the light of technical and social progress. According to the author, in our days, when objects of art have become symbols of status, and the artist’s skill has ceased to be the main evaluation criterion, exploring the mechanisms of circulation of masterpieces and the pricing process becomes much more interesting than in the “classical” era.