How to Buy Sculpture Online

Collect contemporary art in three dimensions! Sculpture offers dynamic possibilities not found in two-dimensional artworks, appealing to both our sight and our sense of touch.

Here are some things to consider when purchasing sculpture online:

Explore: Take your time when searching for the right sculpture to collect. If you know what you're looking for, you can search by artist, style, size, price, etc., narrowing down an online selection to meet your needs. If you're not exactly sure what you want, you can start by browsing by medium or theme. When you find something you like, try looking for similar pieces or pieces by the same artist, until you find the sculpture that you like best.

A good gallery should have experienced art consultants who can help you in your search.

Budget: Decide how much you would like to spend. Sculptures by emerging artists are often available for less than $500 / EUR500. Of course, as the artist's reputation grows, so will the price of the sculpture.

Discover: Before purchasing a sculpture, learn about the style (figurative, abstract, etc.) and the technique (bronze, assemblage, wood, etc.).

Some sculptures are unique, one-of-a-kind artworks, while others may be limited-edition, cast from the same mold. In the latter case, a sculpture from smaller edition is often more expensive than a sculpture from a larger edition by the same artist-the logic being that the fewer the sculptures in an edition, the more valuable each one is. A multiple sculpture from an open edition (unlimited number of castings) may have a lower value and will often not be numbered, though it may still be signed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity to confirm its authorship.

Whether the artist is emerging or established, you can get a good sense of his career by looking at a list of his exhibitions. Has he participated in important group exhibitions? Does he have solo exhibitions listed? Does he have any artworks in museums or prominent private collections? Has he won any awards for his work?

Feel free to ask questions. The same art consultants who can help you with your selection will gladly provide you with as much information as possible about the artist and his artwork.

Experiment: Share the artwork - If you have viewed the artwork online, email the link to a friend or to a colleague or simply send an electronic greeting with the artwork. Alternatively, if you have seen the artwork in a gallery, view it with a friend. Get the opinion of someone you trust. Try it.

Ensure: Check if the artwork comes with a certificate of authenticity that you feel comfortable with. Keep in mind that some sculptures are signed, while others are not-often because the artist doesn't want to marr the surface of the sculpture. In the latter case, it's especially important to have a certificate of authenticity.

Once you're sure you've found just the right sculpture, make sure you're buying from a trustworthy gallery. Read about the company and their website. Most credible websites provide detailed information about themselves. See if the website provides you with verified and secured online purchases. Read what their customers and the press have to say about them. Find out if the gallery has a reasonable returns policy. When you have done your due-diligence, buy the sculpture and enjoy!

Resale: If you think that you may consider reselling the sculpture at some time in the future,  it is important to ensure that the gallery you purchase the art from offers a resale assurance for artworks purchased from them. If so, it is important to be aware of the terms - as the commission rates vary. For example, major auction houses and galleries will typically charge a commission of 20% to 50%, while PicassoMio charges only 10%.  Further, if the gallery is local and sells only a few artworks each month, the resale assurance may not be worth a whole lot.