Literature: Tom McNulty, Art Market Research
ARTinvestment.RU   26 марта 2020

Among reference books on the study of the art market, this edition will lie on top of other

Art Market Research:
A Guide to Methods and Sources

author: TomMcNulty
year: 2013
332 pages
publisher: McFarland & Company, USA
ISBN: 9780786466719

Tim Schneider, editor of art@Artnet ndashбизнеса, believes that any crisis on the art market — is primarily precious time to search and systematization of the knowledge of the collector, to improve their own education. Agree with him and we — and imagine a book that gives a clear idea of where to look for information about art-рынке and how to use it. At first glance, "a Study of the art market: methods and sources" is a library catalogue with notes in the margins. With one significant caveat: the author, Tom McNulty, — is one of the best in their profession.

There is a very precise definition of a good librarian: he doesn't have to reread all the books in the assigned library, it only needs to know which book contains the desired information to the visitor. Tom McNulty in the profession that the librarian: in addition to the work with a section of art in the library new-Йоркского University, he teaches the basics of working with the information in the Sotheby's Institute of art. Like other teachers, Sotheby's, McNulty divides the concept of "world of art" and "art market", but does not oppose them, and forced to live in one ecosystem.

With the ecosystem of the art world the book starts, the author lists the main players and sistematizirovat knowledge of the reader, received from other sources (of course, giving them links). However, he seems to "clean up" the flaws of other authors, some of which are too fond of the market anecdotes, others held the truth in favor of corporate ethics. Giving the ecosystem a rigorous but understandable form, the librarian McNulty goes to the search rules of information, giving a detailed account of the role and order of key words in obtaining the desired result, whether online-поиск or library catalogue.

After that, the author goes directly to the art market: examination, evaluation, pricing, buying and selling, legal issues and history. Art is logically divided into fine and decorative, followed the geographical segmentation of markets. Despite the fact that the last edition of the book came out in 2013, it seems very modern today, more than ever, fine and decorative arts represent two polar approaches to the formation of collections and the pandemic crisis and turmoil to focus the buyer's attention on the local markets. The bibliography, which is part of each Chapter allows for an independent analysis of sources and make informed decisions based on the facts and views of different authors.

A page of "Studies of the art market" looks like "War and peace" by Leo Tolstoy — with the only difference that instead of footnotes there are invaluable links. Value in the context of this book is determined by the benefits that it can give its owner, if he so desires in the future to explore the history and practice of the art market.

Denys Belkevych, AI