London, Institute of Historical Research, Senate House, June 13, 2016
Deadline: Jul 30, 2015

Collecting and Display Conference
The Art Market, Collectors and Agents: Then and Now

Studies of the art market have paid great attention to the rise of
auctions and the subsequent opening of the art market. However, there
was another, equally important part of the art market in the early
modern period, namely the agent, who discovered, bought and sold works
of art to many of the most important collectors of the day. Agents not
only acted as advisors; they set up networks across Europe and even
beyond to acquire works of art; they negotiated with sellers and acted
as intermediaries for buyers. At a time when prices were negotiable,
the agent was often the person who created the true value of a work of
art.

The purpose of our July conference will be firstly to explore the role
of agents in the early modern period and to see how they negotiated the
burgeoning art market in Europe, developing the role into a more
professional activity. Secondly, we hope to take the subject further
and consider how the agent has gradually become the consultant/dealer
in the modern art market. Thus the conference should allow for a
fascinating juxtaposition of historic and contemporary practice. It
should also offer a deeper understanding of the private and often
hidden side of the market, one that is not represented through the
study of auctions alone.

Papers are invited in the following areas of research

- The business or practice of the agent
- Agent networks
- Negotiations for clients
- Agents as arbiters of taste
- The rise of the dealer vs the decline of the agent: is this a viable
paradigm?
- The developing importance of the consultant & their relations with
collectors

Our time frame is generous. We are interested in papers from the
Renaissance (or before) to the modern day. Proposals should be c 350
words and sent with a short CV to Susan Bracken
schbracken@btopenworld.com and Adriana Turpin turpinadriana@hotmail.com
with cc to collecting_display@hotmail.com by 30 July, 2015.

The study day will take place on Wednesday 13 July, 2016 at the
Institute of Historical Research, Senate House, London. Our usual July
conference date has been shifted to complement the conference being
held by Christie's to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the auction
house on 14 and 15 July.