Can Cheap Prints Make Online Art Dealing Take Off?

Scott Reyburn surveys the online marketplace for art and finds two things: one we already know and one that might surprise you. The one we already know is that lots of art is sold online via jpeg between parties who have a relationship of trust. The other is that there’s a growing market for low-priced works:

“I go into galleries and now the starting price for paintings by emerging artists is $20,000. That’s a lot of money,” said Lisa Schiff, an art adviser based in New York. “There’s a new market that’s developing for prints, digital art, video and other works in the $400 to $4,000 range. This will create a healthier space that isn’t just all about the money. It could be huge. We just need a net-a-porter.com for the art world,” she added, referring to the online fashion boutique. Ms. Schiff had just bought a 2014 print, “Nadine,” by the well-regarded New York artist Avery Singer, for £250 from the website of the Glasgow International art festival.

Art Makes a Move Online (NYTimes.com)