Basic Guide to Art Collection

Art collection is defined as works  of art accumulated  by an individual or institution. It is  a form of a hobby for personal pleasure  or a part of an art business for profit, but every art piece is an investment that an art collector should be critical in choosing and buying.

Art collection  started back in earlier civilizations from Egypt, Babylonia, China, and India  were precious objects were stored in temples, tombs, sanctuaries, and palaces. Later on, the western art collecting  started in Greece and Rome where great art collections comes from emperors, royal collections, aristocrats, and the wealthy individuals.   Here are some pointers for a beginner who are into art collection :

Choose your art extensively.  Visit different galleries, museums, search the web, talk to the art curator about a certain  art piece that draws your attention.  Join mailing list of gallery events to keep you updated of the latest auctions.   The best way too is to find a professional art consultant who can guide you further about art collecting and the process of purchasing.

Know the artist's profile and his work before buying.  Learn about the artist's background including his personal information, the stages of his career, previous shows, and his work's price range.  See whose artist and work that you can relate to yourself before bringing it to be part of your collection.  "I look for artwork that is timeless," said Margaret LeMay, a  director of the Erdman Art Group, a division of Marshall Erdman & Associates.

Be ready with the investment risk.  Be careful when dealing with various dealers when buying, some may not give you the right art work which is not worth of your money.  An unknown artist whose career did not flourished  will make its work a less valuable one in the future.

One of the leading Art Business Seller is Christie's founded in 1766 by James Christie, offering fine art collection for various categories including  decorative arts, jewelry, photographs, collectibles, wine, and many others. Christie's is present on key cities such as London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, and other areas in 32 countries selling millions worth of art collections.