• The Temporal Dimensions of the London Art Auction, 1780–1835

    Author(s):
    Matthew Lincoln (see profile) , Abram Fox
    Date:
    2016
    Group(s):
    Digital Art History, Digital Humanists, History of Art
    Subject(s):
    Art, History, Collectors and collecting
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Art market, Auctions, London, Art history, Collecting
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6193P
    Abstract:
    The rush of activity among London’s auction houses in the first few weeks of summer has long been a familiar occurrence that persists even today. However, this intense seasonal concentration of sales was not always so. This paper draws on quantitative methods to explore the gradual emergence of a tightly scheduled auction season in London at the turn of the nineteenth century, focusing on the sale of paintings. By analysing historical art auction catalogue data, the paper traces the ways in which this shift varied across different segments of the auction market, as well as between individual auction houses. As our study shows, the temporal clustering of painting auctions had specific business advantages, but it also played a key role in enhancing the social import of these auctions, demarcating an annual, weeks- long “event” looked to with anticipation and excitement by auctioneers and buyers alike.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.17658/issn.2058-5462/issue-04/afox-mlincoln
    Publisher:
    Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art
    Pub. Date:
    2016-11-28
    Journal:
    British Art Studies
    Issue:
    4
    ISSN:
    2058-5462
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    7 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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