Many people dream of buying a painting at auction, but few actually do. It’s a risky purchase, and with so many unknowns—how much will it go for? Who will buy it? Will it even sell?—it can seem like a gamble that’s not worth taking.
But what if you had a painting that was just too good to keep to yourself? What if you had a masterpiece just waiting to be sold at auction?
We’ll talk about whether or not you can sell your painting at an auction and what steps you’ll need to take if you want to make that happen.
Why Make a Painting of Your Own?
There are many reasons why people create art, and the answer depends on the person. For some people, it’s simply an outlet for creativity and imagination. For others, it’s an activity that helps them relax and that they can hang on their wall as one of the best home decor ideas. Some people use paintings to express something about themselves or their culture that would be impossible to showcase in any other way.
But whether the reason behind it is personal or public, making a painting of your own can be a rewarding experience—both for you and those around you.
Can a Personal Painting Be Sold at an Auction?
Yes! But that depends on the size of the auction house.
Large auction houses, like Sotheby’s, have been known to accept paintings from famous artists. They are typically well-established and have enough collectors and buyers who will attend their events to buy these works for their collections.
On the other hand, starting auction houses tend to collect quality paintings made by artists with promising talents. They typically don’t accept pieces from well-known artists because they want to avoid competing with them. Instead, they focus on offering a wide variety of new artists’ work still being discovered by collectors and curators alike.
How to Sell Your Painting at an Auction House
Custom art is a unique way to express yourself and add character to your home, but have you ever thought about selling your custom art at an auction?
While many people think they can’t sell custom art at an auction, they can. The process of selling custom art at an auction is relatively straightforward.
- The first step in selling your painting is finding a reputable auction house specializing in the type of Art you sell. If you’re selling a painting, it’s best to find an auction house specializing in portraits.
Auction houses have a lot of experience selling paintings, and their expertise will help you get the highest price possible for your work. They also offer expertise in framing, shipping, and insurance—services that artists often overlook.
- Once you have found one, contact them and tell them about your work. They will then set up an appointment with you to see the painting in person. They will also want to know its condition and where it was created. They may even ask to see some other pieces of yours so they can gauge what kind of artist you are.
Before you submit your painting to an auction house, you need to make sure it’s ready to be sold. This means ensuring it’s properly framed and mounted, clean and dry (if necessary), and well-preserved in terms of its condition. You should also ensure that any documentation related to your work is included with the piece—a certificate of authenticity or other information proving that you painted it or someone else associated with you (such as a family member).
- Lastly, once they have seen your painting, they will assess its value and decide if they want to put it up for sale at all (this is why it’s essential that you only send quality pieces). If they accept it as part of their auction, they will help promote it so people will be interested in bidding on it.
After a successful purchase, the auction house will let you sign some documents that release you from having complete ownership of the sold paintings, also for the new owner who now has full responsibility for their new possession.
Final Thoughts
Generally, it’s important to remember that when you sell an item at auction, you sell it as an individual piece of Art. The piece’s value depends on its quality and rarity rather than its connection with any particular person or family. Although this may appear to be a minor point, it’s essential in determining whether or not you can sell your personal painting at auction; if a famous artist creates it (such as Picasso), then there’s a good chance it will retain its value even after being separated from the artist’s estate and sold individually. In contrast, if it was created by someone who isn’t well known outside of their immediate circle, then there’s less value in selling it independently of that context.
If you love this idea but don’t have time to create an artwork of your own, Memorialize Art can help you create a personalized portrait that you can display in your home.