The Value of Art
Money, Power, Beauty
Published on 24. February 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-3-7913-4913-8 (ISBN)
Description
In straightforward prose that doesn't mystify art or deny its special allure, prominent art dealer and market expert Michael Findlay offers an up-close and personal view of almost a half-century in the business of art. He engagingly explains art's three kinds of value: commercial; social; and what he terms its essential value - the range of responses to art that we as individuals have depending on our culture, education, and life experience. Few avid collectors are immune to the thrill of rising market value, but Findlay argues that buying for investment alone is seldom smart. A genuine love of art and the ways it may enrich one's social life also play important roles. Down-to-earth and with a touch of dry wit, he explains exactly how artworks are valued and reveals the workings of the art market. Enhancing his narrative are wise advice, insider anecdotes, and tales of scoundrels and scams, celebrity collectors, and remarkable discoveries. Generously illustrated, Findlay's distillation of a lifetime's experience makes this insider's guide indispensable for all who love art, not only collectors but true "amateurs" as well.
Reviews / Votes
"Michael Findlay has written an authoritative guide to the art world in the age of celebrity. The Value of Art is an engaging, informative and serious book."-Judith Goldman, author of Robert & Ethel Scull: Portrait of a Collection
"Whether you are a beginning collector or seasoned connoisseur, Michael Findlay is the finest guide you could have to the current art world. His decades of experience, devilish wit, and infectious enthusiasm for the best always steer the reader straight through the mercenary machinations of the business, social whirl, and profound beauty of art."
-Michael Fitzgerald, Professor of Fine Arts, Trinity College
"No one knows more about the market in Impressionist, modern, and contemporary art than Findlay. His new book, The Value of Art, is one of the best ever published on the art world, and covers just about everything you would want to know, including how to buy, sell, look at, and enjoy art."
-Artnews
"Findlay passes along his own, entertaining view of the art world's evolution over the past few decades....{He} champions the essential, intrinsic value of art - a subject he addresses with passion."
-The Wall Street Journal
"Findlay's The Value of Art...offers a wealth of knowledge (and gossip) about a life spent in the business of beautiful things." -Out Magazine
"Findlay explains what determines the value of art, approaching the topic from both the commercial and social perspective whilst also exploring how the various art world stakeholders--from artists and dealers to collectors and institutions--operate within the increasingly complex art world. Insider anecdotes, advice, and other entertaining tidbits make this a great read, offering a thoughtful account of the art market for art world outsiders and insiders alike."
--Henri Neuendorf, Artnet
"Essential reading. Comprehensive, insightful, and rooted in the author's decades of experience as an art dealer, auction house expert, and connoisseur of both artists and collectors, the text is enlivened by a wealth of instructive and entertaining anecdotes."
-Christopher Finch, author of Chuck Close: Life
The Value of Art is, above all, an elegantly argued plea to art lovers to never stop looking - and to never believe that a world has revealed all of its secrets."
--Art + Auction magazine
"This perceptive and incisive book by a legendary dealer is the best guide to the present day art world ever written. It is also a deeply felt plea that people look at and enjoy art rather than concentrate solely on its commercial value."
-Andrew Butterfield, President of Andrew Butterfield Fine Arts
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Munich
Germany
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 171 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
522 gr
ISBN-13
978-3-7913-4913-8 (9783791349138)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Michael Findlay One of the earliest dealers in SoHo, New York, he showcased major emerging artists including John Baldessari, Joseph Beuys, and Hannah Wilke. Named Head of Impressionist and Modern Paintings at Christie's in 1984, he later became its International Director of Fine Arts. Since 2000 he has been a director at Acquavella Galleries, New York, which in recent years has held major exhibitions of important Impressionist, modern, and contemporary masters.