Why Do People Buy Paintings?

There’s a lot of disagreement among artists about selling art work. Some seem to think that it somehow makes you less of an artist if you’re doing it for profit.

Most painters create art because they love to create art. Whether or not they sell the painting afterwards is unimportant—but if they can make money from their passion, why wouldn’t they? If no one ever bought any paintings there’d probably be a lot less painters in the world.

The fact of the matter is that people do buy paintings for a number of reasons, and if you want to sell art, you should be aware of them. So why do people buy paintings?

1. Interior décor

The average person buys art to decorate the walls of their home with. They are looking for attractive pieces that work well with the style and colors of the room and that are pleasing to the eye.

You’ll see a lot of paintings of flowers used for this purpose; they’re always a popular choice for interior decorating. And just think about every hotel you’ve ever been in. Chances are that each room had one or two unremarkable yet pleasing paintings working with the décor.

2. They like the particular piece

This sometimes goes hand in hand with the interior décor category, because chances are these buyers are also putting up paintings in their homes or offices, but it’s a different reason than simply to decorate.

Some people see a painting that speaks to them or makes them feel something. They admire the artwork and want to see it every day, so they buy it for themselves. These people truly appreciate the art and aren’t just using it to fill space on their empty walls.

3. Art Collectors

Another group of people who buy art are the status-seeking art collectors. These people admire and appreciate art, but a lot of the purchase comes down to how owning that painting makes them feel and look in regards to others. If you’re an up-and-coming artist, owning your piece may make them feel ahead of the curve. They want to show others their art collection and tell them about the background behind it.

4. Investors

The last group of people who buy paintings are the investors. Investors buy art because they think it’s going to be worth more later on than it is today. In past economic booms, investing in art was often overlooked, as it’s quite risky and other markets were making far steadier returns. But today, more and more people are looking toward art as an investment. Some pieces of art still make enormous amounts of money at auctions, and that’s enticing.

Whatever the reason for buying, the fact is clear that people have been buying art for a long time and will continue to buy art into the indefinite future. A painting can reflect the personality of both the artist and the owner and can transform our homes, offices, or galleries into something both pleasing to the eye and expressive of human emotion.