Why do artist become famous after their death?

Answer 1

Often the reason for an artist's fame after their death is simply due to what collectors are looking for at the time, and this is always changing. Other artists are ahead of their time and it is only after time has passed that the greatness is recognized. Another problem is how to define fame or success. If an artist has a painting hanging in MoMA, for example, is the artist famous even if the painting is not well known? Very few artists actually become famous once they've died. Van Gogh is possibly the most well-known example. However, many (if not most) artists never reach success even after their death.