In assessing value, be certain to factor in the medium. But if most of the value of an item is due to the basic materials, then you are purchasing a commodity, not a work of art. Subject Perhaps surprisingly, subject matter can affect value. A Rembrandt painting of a dead ox will most likely sell for less than a portrait by him of a pretty girl. Even if the subject is not particularly attractive, most people find a portrait of a female more appealing than one of a male.
Youth is better than age.
Among males, young men in military uniform tend to fetch higher prices. In the animal kingdom, live is preferable to dead. Among still life's, most people choose flowers over fruit. A spring landscape is invariably preferred to a snowy scene. Similarly with emotions, love, joy and passion are assets, while pain, violence and ugliness are liabilities.