First, Find out the Price
According to their in-house policies, some galleries only share pricing information upon request and do not publicly list prices on Artsy. If you are interested in one of these works, contact the gallery through Artsy and ask for a quote.
Pro tip: Make sure your Collector Profile on Artsy is up to date before contacting the gallery, as galleries will often prioritize responding to messages that have this contextual information. If you haven’t yet, take 30 seconds to update your Collector Profile
here.
Ask About Additional Costs
The full price of an artwork will go beyond the quoted price, as shipping, framing, installation, taxes, and insurance are all additional expenses. Before you start negotiating, you can ask whether the gallery would be willing to cover any of these added costs. At the very least, you will want to get an estimate for what these additional expenses might be.
Pro tip: Galleries often charge a premium to coordinate framing. If you’re willing to deal with the details, you may be able to work with a framer directly and get a better price. The gallery’s preferred framer may even offer a discount if you mention the gallery’s name. If you decide to coordinate framing yourself, be sure to ask the gallery if there are framing specifications for the work, as the artist may have suggested a type or style of frame for that specific piece.