Buying Art
Where to Buy an Original Painting: Five Channels Compared
Gallery, auction, marketplace, art fair and the artist directly. The price, the risk and what you actually get differ in each.
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Someone who wants to buy an original painting has five routes. They do not do the same job, and the price gap between them usually has less to do with the work than with how many people stand in between.
Galleries#
A gallery represents an artist and shows the work. Its advantage is selection: a gallery has a line and does not take everything offered to it.
The disadvantage is price. Gallery commission in Turkey generally runs between 40 and 50 per cent. So roughly half of what you pay goes to the intermediary rather than the work.
There is also access. Walking into a gallery puts many people off, prices are often not on the wall, and you have to ask.
Auction#
The secondary market, where works that have sold before change hands again.
Its advantage is the price record. If an artist's work sells regularly at auction, their market value is documented. If you are thinking about whether a work will gain value, this is where to look.
The disadvantage: a buyer's premium sits on top of the hammer price, usually around 20 per cent. And you will not find artists at the start of their careers at auction.
Online marketplaces#
Etsy, accounts selling through Instagram, and local platforms. The widest choice is here.
The advantage is reach and price range. The disadvantage is that all the filtering falls to you. There are accounts selling prints as originals, using stock photographs, or listing work that does not exist.
If you buy here, it is worth reading what to check when buying an original painting online.
Art fairs#
Events like Contemporary Istanbul and Artweeks. Short but dense.
The advantage is seeing work in person and comparing many artists in one place. Surface texture, the thickness of the paint and true scale do not come across on a screen.
The disadvantage: fair stands are expensive, so prices usually sit at gallery level. And deciding in a crowd is hard.
Directly from the artist#
Buying from the artist's own site or studio.
The advantage is that there is no commission in between. The same work costs noticeably less than it would in a gallery. You also get direct access to the story of the piece, how it was made, and the artist.
The disadvantage: there is no gallery filter, so the judgement is yours. And not every artist has the sales side set up properly; check whether there is an invoice, a certificate of authenticity, secure payment and a right of return.
Which suits you#
- First purchase on a limited budget: directly from the artist
- Looking for an investment record: auction
- You would rather not do the choosing and budget is not the issue: a gallery
- You want to compare before deciding: an art fair
At Peck Art Studio works are sold directly by the artist, with no intermediary. Every painting in the collection lists its size, technique and price on its page, so there is nothing to ask for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is buying from a gallery more expensive?
Gallery commission in Turkey usually runs 40 to 50 per cent, so about half of what you pay goes to the intermediary rather than the work. Bought directly from the artist, that difference does not appear in the price.
Is buying directly from an artist safe?
Yes, if the sales side is set up properly. Check four things: is an invoice issued, is a certificate of authenticity provided, does payment go through a secure provider, and is the legal right of withdrawal honoured. With all four, the risk is no different from a gallery.
Should a first-time buyer go to auction?
Usually not. A buyer's premium of around 20 per cent sits on top of the hammer price, and artists early in their careers are not there, so the entry budget is high. Auction makes sense if you are looking for a price record.
Is buying without seeing the work risky?
Low, if size, technique and price are stated clearly and there are detail photographs. Surface texture and paint thickness still do not fully translate on screen. In distance selling you have 14 days to withdraw after delivery, which covers most of the risk.
