Buying or selling art: using an art dealer

The art dealer: a passionate specialist

 

The art dealer is in a way an intermediary since he facilitates sales between individuals, galleries, museums, collectors, companies, etc., and artists.
The art dealer cannot know all the fields of art in the face of the multitude of antworks already present and in the making.
The art dealer often specializes in a particular area.
It can be an era, a style, renaissance artists, 18th century, or more modern, etc.
The art dealer must be an expert, because that is the number one reason he will be called upon.


Art dealers who have acquired a certain expertise are able to recognize an author, an artist, his story, his background.
They also need to know how to assess what can be a "good" work and can be resold on the art market.
He still has to keep abreast of new trends, new artists.
The art dealer must therefore be curious and passionate, but also patient.

 

The benefit of a network

Indeed, art dealers need to be patient for several reasons. The first is that it is still a very closed network.
They need to acquire an expertise, a reputation that will make customers turn to them.
It is for this reason that the mere passion for painting for art in general is not enough.
The heart of the art dealer business is the sale of works of art. It establishes important links both with the artists, but also with the buyers.
These contacts and this network are created during an exhibition or a fair.
Whether in Paris or throughout France, this type of exhibition or fair is regularly organized.
Art dealers must therefore have good communication skills, good marketing skills, know how to orchestrate fundraising, etc.

The second explanation is that an art transaction through an art dealer may take longer than through any other channel.
This type of negotiation does not always have high visibility for reasons of discretion.