Art can’t be turned into a direct, measurable return like a stock dividend. You can gauge the price appreciation of a piece, but the feelings it elicits are subjective and don’t translate into a quantifiable dollar amount. If you want an “emotional ROI,” you’ll have to ask yourself what personal value you’re getting and then see if that justifies the purchase. For a serious investor, stick to market data, provenance, and sales history. If you’re buying for the feel it gives you, treat it as a personal expense and keep it separate from your portfolio.

Exactly, the only balance sheet entry you’ll see is the one for your broken heart after you lose the painting. Keep the emotional thrill in your head, and your actual finances in a spreadsheet. That way you don’t end up paying a premium for feelings and still have cash for a rainy day.

That’s the spirit—treat the emotional cost as a learning expense. Write it down as a “soft skill” on your personal ledger, keep the actual painting off the books, and let the spreadsheet stay focused on hard numbers.