Ben

It is often the case that while artists must work to make their art they must also work to promote themselves in order to be successful and appreciated. Some artists enjoy that aspect of the business as much as the art-making. Others find it a bothersome but necessary component in order to make a living.

There are few people who do not know the story of Vincent Van Gogh’s life of hardship. In Van Gogh’s case it seems his nervous instability prevented his participation in the social aspect that art promotion requires. His brother Theo, who was an art dealer, did all that he could to support Vincent and sell his work. Had Vincent not died at such an early age due to a self-inflicted wound perhaps some later commercial success might have helped him become more stable and enjoy some recognition. But we cannot know what might have been. I don’t think the knowledge his tragic story makes his paintings any more brilliant. The appreciation of Van Gogh’s emphasis of surface, rhythm, and vivid color only happened after Van Gogh’s lifetime.

Once artists choose to make work independently from the support of patrons it seems to become necessary that they also take on the role of salesperson. As much as dealers can try to promote an artist’s work, it seems the artist must be involved in sales as well, especially if their work is not already widely recognized and sold. Most collectors want to have some social interactions with the artists their money supports. They want to feel like their patronage is aiding in the promotion of the artist’s career.

Oscar Wilde was celebrated not only in the UK but made a quite popular lecturing tour in America. He was given most acclaim for his plays. Wilde too met with an early death at age 46.

Andy Warhol was certainly recognized during his lifetime, not only making paintings and drawings that sold quite well but he also published a magazine and released a few movies and produced records. He was the darling of the celebrities that were the subjects of his work. He had a variety of social and business circles. Warhol died at age 59.

Marcel Duchamp made relatively few works of art, but what he did make was influential to the thinking of the time. He guided the choices of many modern art dealers and collectors as well, including Peggy Guggenheim. Duchamp basically gave up making art when he was 32 years old to play chess. He later did make one additional work of art, Etant donnés, which he worked on secretly for twenty years from 1946 to 1966. He died in 1968 at the age of 81.