I recently read the book, "The Business History of Western Art as Read by an Art Dealer.

「画商が読み解く 西洋アートのビジネス史」著者:髙橋芳郎さん

Today, I would like to introduce another book.

Yoshiro Takahashi, author of "An Art Dealer's Guide to the Business History of Western Art.

This book is easy to understand, with photos and explanations so that even someone like me who likes art but does not know much about it can understand it.

So, although the title of the book says "business history," I thought it would be more appropriate to call it a guide to understanding art.

Here is a part of the book.

  • The works of the Impressionists, which were called "incomprehensible" by painters and critics, eventually gained recognition as works that "only this painter could have painted. Behind this trend was the advent of photographic technology, which made it boring to simply create paintings of reality. The idea that a work of art was valuable because it was painted by Monet and that there was no substitute for what Cézanne had painted was born, and the work of art became equal to the artist, and the painter himself was branded as an artist.
  • I understand very well the importance of art thinking. On the other hand, I have always felt that the idea of utilizing art for business was not quite clear to me. (omission) The history of art in the West has been rooted in society and developed dialectically, while including philosophical issues. In Europe, art is the history of a culture that is rooted in society and has been loved and developed by people. To be able to talk about art means to have an education based on one's social background and history, and also to be able to talk about one's own values. It makes me wonder if this is also meaningful to the Japanese, who have a different history.
「画商が読み解く 西洋アートのビジネス史」著者:髙橋芳郎さん

It is short, but I think it is enough to convey how interesting this book is. As I myself call myself a Washi artist, this was a book that I read while chewing on. I believe I will be forced to read it several times over for a while. Along with reflection, I was able to reconfirm the path I have taken and will take. I'm glad I read it!


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