The Birth of the Amateur

What is it about?

The term 'amateur', meaning a non-professional or dilettante, was first used in 17th-century Holland and France in connection to the visual arts. A massive influx of middle-class buyers changed the nature of the art market, spawning a new class of art dealers and creating much mistrust among artists, who looked back with nostalgia to the aristocratic patrons of the past. These buyers came to be known as 'amateurs', and their ignorance about art contrasted to the knowledge of 'connoisseurs'.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

The article nuances the view (e.g. of Habermas) that art expertise was institutionalised in the 18th century. Art expertise had existed for centuries beforehand; but with the emergence of the amateur the expert became more defensive of his expertise. The extent to which the Dutch art market was captured by new buyers has not yet been fully appreciated; it is shown here that in 1650 there were ca ten times as many painters per capita in Holland as in Italy.