Art Collecting
Art collecting is the practice of acquiring artworks for personal enjoyment, investment, or cultural appreciation. Historically, this activity has roots stretching back to prehistoric times, with ancient civilizations, royalty, and religious institutions leading the way in art collection. The practice evolved significantly over the centuries, particularly during the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, when art became accessible to the public through the establishment of museums like the Louvre and the Uffizi Gallery.
In the 19th century, a surge in art collecting occurred in the United States, driven by affluent individuals who sought European art as a status symbol. This trend continued into the 20th century, with a growing interest in modern art and corporate investment in collections. Today, art collecting is more inclusive, with the internet providing broader access to a diverse range of artworks, including emerging artists and various mediums like digital and mixed media.
Collectors often look for the aesthetic appeal of a piece, its condition, rarity, and the artist’s signature, which can significantly affect its value. While some collectors focus on enjoying art for its beauty, others may view it as an investment, with the potential for financial return. Interest in collecting art spans all demographics, making it a vibrant and evolving hobby that reflects personal taste and cultural engagement.
Art Collecting
History
Since prehistoric times, humans have created art. The first drawings, which were pictures of figures and animals on cave walls, were probably used for religious, fertility, and hunting ceremonies. These crude drawings utilized color and shapes that were aesthetically pleasing.
Every ancient civilization throughout the world collected art and displayed it in palaces and places of worship. Even during the Middle Ages in Europe, art was collected and displayed in castles and cathedrals.
In the early thirteenth century, one of the first collectors, French aristocrat Jean de France, duc de Berry, assembled a collection of books, coins, paintings, miniatures and curiosities that included ostrich eggs and polar bear skins. However, art collection was primarily a hobby for royalty, the upper class, and religious institutions.
Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, art museums were developed to hold the art collections of wealthy aristocrats. During the French Revolution, the Louvre opened to the public. In 1737, the Uffizi Gallery, which holds the great art collection of the Medici family, was bequeathed to Tuscany, in what is now Italy. Ordinary citizens were suddenly able to view the art collections once only accessible to the very wealthy.
During the nineteenth century, there was an art-collecting boom in the United States. Private art collectors, including affluent businessmen, collected mostly European art for status and investment reasons. Other perceptive collectors assembled collections of American art, which would, in later years, make them very wealthy. Most of these collections eventually ended up in US art museums.
In the twentieth century, private collectors continued to amass great collections. The modern art movement greatly increased the interest in art collecting. During the 1970s and 1980s, corporations were among the biggest investors in art collections.
Today, art collecting is not only for the very wealthy. More people are collecting art than ever before. Art is readily available and comparatively affordable. The Internet has exposed more art and artists to the collector. It is possible to put together an art collection without ever visiting a gallery. Hospitals, airports, restaurants, and cafés are among the newest venues where fine art is displayed and available for purchase.
Things to Look For
Generally speaking, art collectors first look at the overall look of an art piece. Collectors also look at composition, color, texture, light, and shapes. The condition and rarity of a piece of art can significantly affect its value.
Most serious collectors will only buy an original piece of art. But for many collectors, a fine art reproduction is just as valuable. Giclée prints, lithographs and serigraphs (silk-screened prints) are the most common reproductions sold. These prints are usually numbered and signed by the artist.
The number will tell the collector how many prints were produced and what number print the piece is. For example, the designation "1/5" tells the collector that the piece in question was the first print out of five prints produced. Often, a collector will see an "A/P" (artist proof) on a print. This tells a collector that the artist selected this particular piece as a good representative of the series printed. Artist’s proofs are more valuable to the collector as there are fewer of them in a series.
A collector should also look for a signature on the piece, as a signed piece of art is typically more valuable than an unsigned piece. Knowing what to look for in each genre is achieved by studying reference books, talking with experts in the field and regularly attending museums and art galleries that specialize in that style of art. For example, in a folk art piece, bright colors, a pleasing subject and great condition will bring the highest price.
Reproductions and repair work are common in the art world when dealing with antique art. Some unscrupulous art or antique dealers may apply varnish to a newer painting so that it appears older and therefore more valuable. Looking at the frame of a painting may indicate its age, but careful study is the best way to guard against forgeries.
Buying art at a reputable gallery or auction house is no guarantee that you have an authentic piece. An independent appraiser and the collector’s own knowledge will greatly increase the odds of purchasing an authentic piece.
Trends
While collecting art by major artists is out of the reach for many collectors, the popularity of buying art from art students is on the rise. Many art collectors like the idea of supporting students and building their collection for a moderate cost in comparison to an established artist.
Collecting art is a growing hobby. Today, anyone can be an art collector. The Internet has made art more accessible. Many artists sell their art on their website or through online auction houses such as eBay. Collage art, comic book art, mixed media pieces, and miniature art are all growing segments in the art world.
Technology has changed the art world. With this technology, giclée prints, which are fine art reproductions sprayed on watercolor paper, have become popular. Giclée prints are considered to have the lifespan of a watercolor, but with better resolution and color than a lithograph or a serigraph.
Artists use computers, cameras, and high-tech painting machines to produce work. Street art, graffiti art, and art that includes video imaging is also changing the modern art world.
Collecting Art for Fun vs. Profit
Many people collect art simply to enjoy the aesthetic qualities of a piece. Corporations often collect art to support the arts in their community and to lend a professional atmosphere to the business environment.
Collectors who wish to earn a return on their art collection will most likely have to wait at least a few years before selling a piece would be profitable. However, collectors who own rare pieces or original, highly desirable works by a popular artist have a better chance of earning on their investment.
Carefully purchased, quality pieces will most often increase in value. Mass-produced art, even by popular artists, is unlikely to increase in value.
Learning More
Museums
The Louvre <www.louvre.fr>
Metropolitan Museum of Art <www.metmuseum.org>
Books
Alexander, Edward P. Museums in Motion. Walnut Creek: Altamira Press, 1996.
Hunter, Lisa. The Intrepid Art Collector: The Beginner’s Guide to Finding, Buying, and Appreciating Art on a Budget. Three Rivers Press, 2006.
Klevit, Alan. Art Collecting 101: Buying Art for Profit and Pleasure. Booklocker.com, 2005.
Neuberger, Roy R. The Passionate Collector. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003.