A

Absentee Bid – A bid placed in advance by a buyer who is not physically present at the auction.

Abstract – Art that does not attempt to represent external reality accurately but uses shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks to achieve its effect.

Acquisition – The process of purchasing an artwork. In the context of NCP, all acquisitions made through the program must be facilitated by ISE-DA.

Artist Proof (A.P.) – A limited number of prints or multiples that are set aside for the artist, typically outside of the numbered edition. These are usually identical to the editioned works but may be marked differently (e.g., "AP 2/5").

Assemblage – A three-dimensional composition made from found or non-traditional materials arranged into a unified whole.

B

Biennial / Biennale / Bienal – A large-scale international art exhibition that takes place every two years. These events often spotlight new and ambitious contemporary art practices. The term varies by region:

• Biennale is Italian and used in contexts such as the Venice Biennale

• Bienal is Portuguese and used for events like the Bienal de São Paulo

• Biennial is the general English term.

  Each format plays a major role in shaping global conversations around art, curatorial direction, and cultural diplomacy.

Blue Chip – A term used to describe artists (or artworks) that are widely recognized, historically significant, and consistently in demand. Blue chip works are considered relatively stable investments with strong institutional presence and secondary market performance. This can also be applied to galleries (White Cube, Gagosian etc.)

Brushwork – The visible texture and movement created by a painter’s brush on the surface of the work; can be loose, gestural, soft, controlled, or expressive.

Buyer’s Premium – A fee charged by an auction house on top of the hammer price. This additional cost is paid by the buyer, often 20–25% depending on the price tier.

C

Cataloguing – The detailed listing of artwork information by an auction house or institution, including title, medium, dimensions, date, provenance, and exhibition history. Can also be done for a private collection.

Catalogue Raisonné – A comprehensive, scholarly inventory of all known works by a particular artist. Used to verify authenticity, provenance, and market legitimacy.

Certificate of Authenticity (COA) – A document that confirms the authenticity of an artwork. Usually provided by the artist, gallery, or publisher.

Collecting Philosophy – A values-driven or conceptual framework that shapes a collector’s approach to acquisitions. It may be based on aesthetics, identity, social values, historical relevance, or cultural stewardship.

Color Palette – The specific set or range of colors used in a work. Descriptors include muted, vibrant, earthy, monochromatic, contrasting, harmonious.

Commission – A custom artwork requested by a collector. This typically involves working directly with an artist through a gallery or advisor.

Conceptual – Work in which the idea or concept is as important—if not more—than the object itself.

Condition Report – A detailed assessment of the physical state of an artwork, often used before or after transport, acquisition, or exhibition.

Consignment – When a work of art is placed with a gallery or dealer for sale, while the artist or owner retains legal ownership until it is sold.

D

Deaccession – The formal removal of a work from a museum’s collection, often through sale, to refine or realign institutional holdings.

Dealer – A person or business that buys and sells artworks, either through a gallery or independently. Some dealers also act as advisors or private brokers.

Depth – The perceived space in an artwork. Can be shallow (flattened space) or deep (illusion of three-dimensionality).

Dossier – A compiled set of documents relating to an artwork, including its provenance, exhibition history, condition reports, and images.

E

Edition – A set of identical (or nearly identical) works produced in limited quantities, usually signed and numbered by the artist (e.g., 1/10).

Emerging Artist – An artist in the early stages of their career who is beginning to gain recognition but may not yet have widespread market visibility.

Estimate – A price range provided by an auction house as a guide to what a work might sell for. Includes “low estimate” and “high estimate.”

F

Fair (Art Fair) – A temporary event where multiple galleries exhibit and sell works to collectors, curators, and the public. Fairs serve as concentrated spaces for exposure, discovery, and acquisition.

Figurative – Art that represents real-world figures, objects, or scenes, especially the human form.

Flatness – A deliberate lack of depth or illusion in a work. Often associated with modernist painting or digital aesthetics.

Form – The shape or structure of an object depicted, or the overall physical structure of the artwork itself (e.g., sculptural form).

G

Gallerist – A person who owns or operates a gallery. Often responsible for managing artist relationships, exhibitions, and sales.

Gallery Program – The curated group of artists that a gallery represents and actively promotes through exhibitions, fairs, and sales. A gallery’s program reflects its vision and curatorial identity.

Gesture / Gestural – A style or technique marked by energetic, expressive movement; often visible in paint application or drawing marks.

H

Hammer Price – The final bid accepted by the auctioneer, not including the buyer’s premium.

Holding – An artwork that is currently in a private or institutional collection. Collectors often refer to "key holdings" when discussing cornerstone works in their collection.

I

Installation – An immersive, often site-specific work that occupies a space and may incorporate multiple elements like sculpture, sound, and media.

Installation View – A photograph or rendering that shows how a work is installed in a gallery, museum, or collection. These help understand scale, context, and display potential.

Intaglio – A printmaking method in which the image is incised into a surface, and ink sits in the recessed lines. Includes etching, engraving, and drypoint.

Institutional Placement – The acquisition of a work from a private collection by a public museum or cultural institution, often facilitated through donation or loan. Some collectors seek placements to amplify legacy, visibility, or access to tax benefits.

Invisible Handshake – An unwritten code or practice in the art market that governs discretion, relationship-based access, and unwritten rules around pricing and availability.

L

Layering – The buildup of material, imagery, or conceptual meaning across different parts of an artwork.

Legacy Planning – A long-term strategy for what happens to a collection beyond a collector’s lifetime. May involve estate planning, family trusts, foundations, or public donations.

Light / Lighting – Describes how light is used or portrayed in a work. Can refer to the actual illumination in an installation or the treatment of highlights and shadows in a painting.

Linework – The use of line as a dominant visual element. Can be sharp, fluid, interrupted, continuous, thick, or delicate.

Lithograph – A print made using a flat stone or metal plate, where the image is drawn with a grease-based medium. The process relies on the repulsion of oil and water to transfer the image to paper.

Loan Agreement – A formal document detailing the terms under which an artwork is loaned for exhibition or research, including duration, insurance, and shipping arrangements.

M

Market Momentum – The speed and consistency with which an artist or artwork gains commercial demand, typically reflected through gallery placements, collector interest, auction results, and media presence.

Medium – The material(s) an artist uses to create their work (e.g., oil on canvas, charcoal on paper, digital photography).

Mixed Media – A work composed of more than one medium (e.g., collage and paint; textile and ink).

Monochrome – A work created in variations of a single color.

Monotype – A one-of-a-kind print made by painting or inking a smooth surface and transferring the image onto paper, usually using a press. Unlike other print forms, monotypes are unique and cannot be exactly replicated.

Multiple – An artwork created in an edition, not necessarily a print. Multiples can include sculptures, photographs, or other media produced in series.

N

Narrative – A sense of storytelling or implied events within an artwork.

O

Opening (Exhibition Opening) – The launch of a gallery or museum show, typically with a public or invitation-only event to view the work and celebrate the artist.

P

Painterly – A work that emphasizes visible brushwork, surface texture, or color blending over clean lines or precise rendering.

Pattern – The repetition of shapes, lines, or colors to create rhythm, structure, or symbolism.

Pre-Sold – Refers to works in an exhibition or fair booth that are sold in advance to trusted collectors before the public opening.

Primary Market – The first time a work is sold, typically directly from the artist’s studio or their representing gallery.

Provenance – The history of ownership of a work of art. Strong provenance enhances the value, trust, and historical context of a work.

Private Sale – A sale that takes place outside of a public venue like an auction or fair, often brokered by a gallery or advisor.

R

Red Chip – A market term (in contrast to “blue chip”) that refers to emerging artists with fast-rising commercial appeal, often driven by speculation, limited supply, and early-stage gallery support.

Relief – A sculptural technique in which elements are raised from a flat surface.

Relief Print – A printmaking process where the image is carved into a surface (e.g., wood or linoleum), and the raised areas are inked and pressed onto paper. Includes techniques like woodcut and linocut.

Reserve – A request to place a temporary hold on a work of interest while a decision is being made. Not all galleries offer reserves, and timelines vary.

Resale Rights (Droit de Suite) – Legal rights that may entitle an artist to receive a percentage of the resale price of their work.

Residency (Public/Private) – A period during which an artist is invited to live and work in a new environment, often with institutional or private support. Residencies may offer funding, studio space, and community engagement. Public residencies are affiliated with institutions and often include public programming, while private residencies are more discreet and may be by invitation only.

S

Scale – The relative size of a work compared to the viewer or its surroundings. Can dramatically affect impact and interpretation.

Screenprint (Silkscreen) – A technique where ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto paper or fabric, using a stencil to bloc.

Secondary Market – The resale of artworks that have already been sold once, typically through auction houses or resale platforms.

Selling Exhibition – A curated show organized by a gallery or institution where works are available for purchase, as opposed to a museum exhibition which is not commercially driven.

Surface – The texture and finish of the artwork’s outer layer. May be rough, smooth, glossy, matte, cracked, etc.

Symbolism – Use of images or elements that carry specific cultural, historical, or personal meanings.

T

Texture – The tactile quality or visual simulation of surface detail. Can be actual (physical texture) or implied (visual illusion).

Tiered Gallery Structure – An informal way of categorizing galleries by scale, artist reputation, and market influence: emerging, mid-tier, established, and mega-galleries.

Title (of a Work) – The name assigned to an artwork by the artist.

Tone – The general mood or atmosphere of a piece. Can be dark, contemplative, playful, somber, political, or sensual.

Transfer of Title – The legal process of transferring ownership from seller to buyer, often accompanied by payment and documentation.

U-Z

UV Protection – A feature in glazing (glass/acrylic) used to shield artworks from ultraviolet light, which can cause fading or damage.

This glossary will continue to evolve as your questions and experiences grow. Let us know if there are terms you’d like added!