The meaning of possession

Why Do People Buy Expensive Paintings?

Any purchase of a painting is, first and foremost, an emotional act. The great collector Savva Morozov relied solely on emotional response when deciding to purchase a particular painting. Thus, he assembled a unique collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. Therefore, a painting should be liked, and this is the main reason for acquiring it.

Paintings are primarily bought for the purpose of pleasure and enjoyment. I think pleasure is the main motivation. It's like with a woman - you can just look and admire, or you can possess and enjoy.
A painting that evokes emotions in you becomes your friend; it awakens feelings, triggers an emotional response, and generates thought. A painting is a creative reinterpretation of the world by the artist, and if the painting resonates with you, this emotional charge is transmitted to the viewer.

Where to Start Buying Paintings?

First of all, don't buy "junk"; think and learn to understand. Painting should bring pleasure, and if it doesn't, if there's no understanding of the quality of painting, then look and think more.

No one has an ideal taste initially, and novice collectors should not be embarrassed that they may make mistakes in the first few years. But there's a charm in this - taste is gradually developed. Taste is not a frozen photograph. Like muscles, taste and vision should be developed, improved, exploited as much as possible. Just as muscles are formed, taste and vision are formed.

You can decorate your surroundings with an original painting created by the hand of an artist, imbued with his thoughts and emotions on canvas, guided only by the criterion "I LIKE IT". Time is relentless. Your favorite painting becomes more valuable and, like a glass of cognac you bought 10 years ago, soothes your soul, which has found a place for beauty.

Can buying something you like be considered a mistake? Absolutely not! It is precisely having one's own opinion in assessing works of art that creates the originality that gives rise to true collections. If you truly like something, even if it doesn't become a profitable investment, it remains in your collection as a beloved item. However, often, when a collection already contains many good works, the collector stops paying attention to new trends, new names...

People with well-developed intuition acquire museum-quality paintings for the price of "passable" items - although mistakes can also occur here. Those who are afraid to trust their intuition make fewer mistakes, but museum-quality works appear only "for a very high price". As they say: you can't buy what you want without overpaying.

This is an important topic. It all depends on the person himself, on how confident he is, on how ready he is to hear what others think about him and his taste and "eye".

Eastern wisdom says - the desire to seem smart greatly interferes with being smart.

Learn, learn, and learn again. Develop your artistic taste. Visit museums, exhibitions, and very soon you will not only understand which painting is close to you, but also be surprised at how your artistic taste improves. You will understand why a painting by one artist is highly valued and what emotional charge it contains, while a seemingly very nice piece by another artist may not even be remembered in an hour. You will inevitably find your artist, style, or direction in painting that is closest to you.

Over time, there comes understanding of painting, and ninety-five percent of people simply do not have it. By buying paintings, very soon you will learn to distinguish between one-day paintings and works that will become classics of modern painting. Of course, every purchase is associated with a certain risk. But if you have chosen a painting that you like, that evokes a sea of emotions in you, then you cannot lose. You have acquired a friend and a conversationalist. And when the price of the painting increases in the future, your winnings will be even more significant.

People are interested in painting, even if they don't understand it. But they know that today it's a good investment, and besides, collecting works of art is fashionable, prestigious, it's what connects them to the society of cultured people. A person who collects paintings raises his "rating"; he gets many new acquaintances, completely different from ordinary work contacts.

Every Detail Contributes to Creating an Image.

Many enter big business or politics, so-called "from the grassroots." Typically, these are shrewd individuals who quickly learn. Just recently, the thought of hanging paintings in the office would not have crossed their minds. But, traveling the world, they saw that all serious partners have paintings hanging. They understood that having a piece of culture in their home or office is good form. And following this trend, they buy paintings. Of course, some collect, for example, "Rolex and Patek Philippe", but still, these are mass-produced, albeit exclusive products. To create a painting, you need the soul, mind, and hands of an artist. There won't be a second one like it. This is very important for a politician, businessman, and anyone else striving for success. We constantly engage in business contacts, new connections are established every day. In lifestyle, absolutely everything should create a harmonious picture. Every detail must work to create an image. There are simply no trifles in such an important matter! Nothing accentuates the image like possessing a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art.

How to Choose an Artist?

There are art connoisseurs who derive pleasure simply from collecting works, while others invest in art. Art is not like a car that rusts over time. Whereas the price of your painting will steadily increase year after year.

The game is to see first the potential of the artist and distinguish them from those who are completely unpromising. And here, you need to learn to appreciate the artist's work for what it is.

Underdeveloped taste and unwillingness to improve it, complete trust in "experts", fear of trusting one's own intuition are absolutely unacceptable when collecting paintings. Here, you can rely only on yourself, your taste, and your intuition, if not more – on your clairvoyance. A painting is what the artist wants to tell you, and if you've heard it, you're lucky.

How Much Can a Painting Cost?

Doesn't it seem utopian to you to want to buy a luxury item or a family heirloom for next to nothing? You might ask, but what about - many artists sell their paintings cheaply? Yes, perhaps they do... But are you sure you want to buy something that is done in a hurry and to suit mass demand?

It must be understood that Painting is that level of perception where market relations to what is seen are unacceptable. I often heard: "I don't understand anything about paintings, but I really like this one." That's right - your soul has guided you to the right choice. And who understands painting better than your soul?