Auction houses and galleries that specialize in auction sales are opening across the world, and Belgrade certainly doesn’t lag
It’s been almost three centuries since the opening of Christie’s and Sotheby’s, the first and still the biggest auction houses in the world. When, in December 1766, Christie’s held its first public auction, the items offered for sale included bedding, two pillowcases, two bedpans and two items made of glass. Today, some 250 years later, the world of art has never been so diverse and available. Auction houses and galleries that specialize in auction sales are opening across the world, and Belgrade certainly doesn’t lag. So, in 2006, the ARTE Gallery was opened with the basic idea of promoting fine arts. Of course, one gets the best impression of the artwork by see-ing it live, but the galleries, which have been doing a large segment of their business online, now send notifications about exhibitions and works of art to art lovers quickly and easily, as well as all the necessary information on how to obtain the desired piece. The most experienced collectors always opt for auctions because, despite everything that has come as a result of modern times, auctioning remains the most exciting way to buy a work of art. Since 2009, ARTE has held ten auction sales offering artwork by the most prominent painters and sculptors from the recent Yugoslav and Serbian art history. This year, the auction will traditionally take place in December.
WHY SHOULD YOU BUY AT AUCTION?
In addition to the excitement, there are practical reasons why buying at auction is a good decision. One of them is the fact that auctions are a public affair, so anyone can see what is being offered – a pre-auction exhibition is usually organized and people who are not able to see it in person can view it online.This year, the ARTE Gallery will hold its pre-auction exhibition from December 11 – 23 (9 AM – 9 PM) at 1-3, Kralja Milana Street (ARTE Gallery and the former business space of Eurosalon Company). The auction will take place on December 23rd at 6 PM. It is advisable that you to do a little bit of research before applying for participating in an auction. You can do this research yourself or with the help of a gallerist who will walk you through the exhibition or the online catalogue. Also, at the auction, the price is publicly displayed, and it is formed precisely by people who want to buy the piece, in front of witnesses. Price transparency is also good because you can always check the results from previous auctions regarding a particular artist or artistic period, and prepare for the eventual result, that is, know where to “draw the line”.One more important thing! Movie scenes where two people fight over an art piece by offering fabulous amounts of money are very rare. If you buy at an auction, you usually get artwork at the best price.
AUCTION: HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHEN DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Buying a painting is the most exciting part. One segment of our auction consists of paintings, drawings and sculptures by emi-nent artists such as Paja Jovanović, Milan Konjović, Vladimir Veličković, Mrđan Bajić and other significant artists from this part of the world who created during the 20th and the 21st century. The second part of the auction includes objects of applied art, design and antiques. Once you have selected a piece, you need to fill out an application form, and of course, you have several options to choose from. You can register for the auction at the gallery a few days before, but also on the day of the auction, which will take place on December 23th, at the former business premises of Eurosalon Company. If you apply in person, you will receive a form and sign a contract. Or, another option is to do it online once the gallery sends you the relevant documents via email. The gallery will offer you the option of bidding from the auction hall or over the phone, and you can also choose to bid on your own, or to have someone from the gallery team to do it for you. In any case, you will be satisfied in the end.
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