A cursory examination of the history of art’s commodification will reveal that money and art have been entwined for centuries.

Straying from the traditional, strict, and classical forms of Kabuki and Nōh theater emerged Butoh. Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno founded this new style of dance, two individuals heavily influenced by postmodernist ideas. Initially associated with the Tokyo underground arts scene, Butoh derives its name from the combination of bu, meaning dance, and toh, meaning step. Characterized by slow arrhythmic movements, performers are usually covered head-to-to in white body paint, representing the purity of the soul. Often described as being in a trance-like state, Butoh performers embody slow, careful movements in their performances.

In 1903, the financier visited the 1903 Salon d’Automne showcasing works by Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin and others. Intuiting the success of these young Impressionists, he and twelve partners created an art fund with which they would buy contemporary works to later sell at a profit.