AHT 357 Art Market Studies: From Renaissance Commissions to Online Auctions
This course studies the art market from early modernity to the contemporary age. It departs from Renaissance commissions where artists need to closely respond to patrons' needs in the creation of their works. The situation changes with the birth of the free art market in 17th century Holland where works are sold publicly and at auction, and traded across continents. The importance of the gallerist’s vision shaped the public taste in 18th century Paris, which subsequently takes on new dimensions in the 19th century in the personal relationships between artist and dealer that supersede the Salon model. In the study of the contemporary art market emphasis is placed on how artists, dealers, galleries, and auction houses determine pricing strategies and what impact pricing narratives have on aesthetic values. In online sales, AI-generated works of art, NFTs, and the shift to crypto currencies in transactions, the art world and their global markets are undergoing significant transformations. What lasting impact do particular types of market situations have on artistic production and society at large? What are the implications on questions of authenticity and authorship? How is the value of culture shaped in the digital world? These questions will be asked throughout the course to ascertain the dynamics between symbolic goods and their economic value.