“While there are some major European exceptions consulting and advising remains a distinctly American phenomenon. “Americans take great pride in seeing psychoanalysts, and they likewise have no problem having someone else find their art for them,”” […]
Also, European collectors tend to be much more self-assured in their taste—they have less of a need for outside validation.” That holds especially true in Germany, where even major collectors are expected to do their own reconnaissance work. “German collectors want to be seen as friends of the artists, participating in the intellectual and creative process,” notes Berlin dealer Max Hetzler. “They want to be seen as art saints, not as treating their collecting like a business.[…]
The real motivation for people hiring art advisors is fear—fear of overpaying and fear of buying bad art. […]
That said, more young people are setting out to become full-time professional advisors than ever before. For those without financial backing from a parent or spouse, it offers a career in the art world that has a remarkably low barrier to entry: All you need is a cellphone, an email account, and $50 worth of business cards.”
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