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Peter Watson
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From Manet to Manhattan: The Rise of the Modern Art Market Hardcover – November 17, 1992

by Peter Watson (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8 ratings
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A behind-the-scenes look at the world's art market reveals the art connoisseurs, collectors, artists, dealers, and auction houses that have shaped tastes in art and created record-breaking sales for art masterpieces. 25,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    558 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Random House
  4. Publication date
    November 17, 1992
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.75 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0679404724
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0679404729
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Watson's colorful, anecdotal history of the development of the modern art market opens with his behind-the-scenes account of the 1990 Christie's auction that saw the sale of a van Gogh portrait for a record $82.5 million. His theme--that auctioneers and dealers have shaped the art market as arbiters of public taste--receives sporadic support, as in his account of the New York Armory Show of 1913 or a discussion of dealer Siegfried Bing, "godfather of Art Nouveau." Art critic for the London Observer and the Spectator, Watson entertainingly covers art scandals, big deals and changing fashions, profiling such dealers as Ambroise Vollard, Daniel Wildenstein and the notorious Joseph Duvenn as well as collectors such as Gertrude Stein, Isabella Stewart Gardner and Louisine Havemeyer. He airs the fierce current rivalry between Sotheby's and Christie's and suggests that much of the recent art boom was artifically generated, involving shady purchases by Japanese buyers who used art to launder money for Japan's political parties, corporations and organized crime. Illustrations not seen by PW. First serial to Vanity Fair; author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

With a wily sense of humor and a keen eye for detail, Watson, a British journalist and the author of nine books, has created "the first integrated account of the development of the modern art market." Beginning his narrative with an intimate backstage view of the extraordinary $75 million sale of Van Gogh's "Dr. Gachet" in 1990, he relates a masterful historical journey through the evolution of auctioneering, from "licensed swindling" to "the great spectator sport of our day." Among the myriad influences that have shaped the current art market are an international host of colorful characters, fluctuating economic conditions, and changing tastes, all of which Watson relays with the same "refinement and polish" he used in his mystery novel Landscape of Lies ( LJ 1/90) to bring the reader to an understanding of today's art market. Recommended for libraries with a strong interest in the arts and for the would-be art investor. (Illustrations not seen.)-- Vicki Gadberry, Harris Media Ctr., Mars Hill Coll., N.C.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House; First Edition (November 17, 1992)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 558 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0679404724
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679404729
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.75 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8 ratings

About the author

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Peter Watson

Peter Watson

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Peter Watson is the author of War on the Mind, Wisdom and Strength, The Caravaggio Conspiracy, Ideas, and The German Genius. Educated at the universities of Durham, London, and Rome, he has written for the Sunday Times, the Times, the New York Times, the Observer, and the Spectator. He lives in London.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
8 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Hydra
5.0 out of 5 stars I cannot believe I am the first
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2010
Verified Purchase
There are two kinds of good books. The first are those that are so good that everyone recommends them to their friends and they become popular. The second are those that are so good that people may actually want to keep it a secret. This may be the second kind. I cannot understand why I am the first to write a review. This book offers itself as a history not about art but about the art market. At times one gets lost in the flurry of names, dates, and prices, but it is all here. And as a hidden bonus it says nearly everything that is worth saying about both the economics and the psychology of collecting. This is a brilliant book that should by now have shaped the course of writing art history. Of course, it hasn't.

My only criticism for the current reader is that it was written in 1992 soon after the art market exploded (not the author's fault) and desperately needs an update. This is like saying Vasari needs an update. Sadly I do know of anyone currently active with the experience to write such a book.

Peter Watson himself is an extraordinary combination of talents. He is also the author of two other excellent books on intellectual history. I think this would put him in a unique position to write a defining work on the aesthetics of Modern Art particularly since so much of contemporary art is involved with ideas. Watson has written, "I believe that a whole book needs to be written about the aesthetics in the wake of Pop Art: its significance has not yet been fully digested or understood." (pg. 470) I would only beg that it might also include his views on minimalism and conceptual art and whatever the hell is going on now. Other than perhaps Robert Hughes, Watson may be the only person capable of completing such a project. Of course, I fear there may be many out there who would prevent him from doing so. He's that good.
6 people found this helpful
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Barb Dougherty
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for every artist and art lover
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
Art is communication, it is culture. The development of a marketplace for art that did not represent the traditional historical scene or portrait was done by the willingness of artists and dealers to risk their incomes by supporting honest communication and expression. The results have been a vigorous response by contemporary culture in support of the arts. This is an important read for anyone who understands that our lives and well-being are as linked to our cultures as to our military power.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Miles
2.0 out of 5 stars Not great.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 29, 2012
Verified Purchase
I purchased this book for academic purposes and I found it to be a waste of money. I am sure it would be an interesting leisurely read though.
One person found this helpful
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