What is blue chip art?

Blue chip means proven masterworks by the most sought-after artists, whose value rises slowly but reliably. It is the safest — and at the same time the most expensive — floor of the market, and Picasso is the textbook example. Over the long term these names can beat stock indices; you can follow them through the Artprice 100 ranking, for instance. Be careful, though: not every famous name is blue chip, what decides it is demonstrable continuity of value.