Wednesday 3 August 2016

Top Tips for Buying Original Art Online

Buying paintings, sculptures and other art forms from an art gallery online can be thrilling. Here’s how to get instant and reliable access to thousands of artists who may not be showcasing their work in the galleries next to you.

Ever since Joe found herself staring at the exquisite Van Gogh painting reproduction in a hotel lobby, she has been nagging me to introduce her to the best original art online. The fact that I happen to be a private art investor has further strengthened her confidence in my knowledge pertaining to fine art for sale. I did escort her to a few trusted galleries in our city, but her desire to explore more art pieces online made us spend umpteen hours in researching for the ‘right’ painting for her bedroom. The good thing about the entire episode was that we were both more enlightened with regards to the operations of a reputed art gallery online. Here, I have assembled a few tips that will also help you make smooth purchases from online art portals and galleries. Take a look.

At the very onset, check out the credentials of the seller. Can the site be trusted? Are there ways of finding out the buying and selling history of the site in question? It’s best to buy art online from an established art gallery, online specialist or auctioneer. Regardless of how trusted an art gallery or online sculpture site may seem to the eye, it’s essential that you ask the sellers about the condition of the artwork on sale. If you wish to be wiser – send a request for a condition report. In the case of genuine sellers, if they are not aware of the condition of the art work on sale, they would hire the expertise of a conservator to provide full disclosure of the condition and price of art in question.
Even as you are contemplating a buy from among some shortlisted art pieces, seek all relevant evidence and information on exhibition history, provenance, as well as the publications in which these works may be pictured, listed or mentioned. Beware of buying inkjet prints that may have been transformed with paint / other embellishments.

So, with these tips in place, are you ready to buy a limited edition piece the next time you log into an art gallery online?

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