Commodity and commodification

DEFINITION

Something which can be bought and sold; an article of trade. Referring to an artwork as a commodity minimizes its significance in other ways ? as an expression of an artist's feelings, allegory, formal issues, etc. Bringing out this aspect in an object is called commodification.Quote: "Art among a religious race produces relics; among a military one, trophies; among a commercial one, articles of trade." Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), English Romantic painter. "The works of art, by being publicly exhibited and offered for sale, are becoming articles of trade, following as such the unreasoning laws of markets and fashion; and public and even private patronage is swayed by their tyrannical influence." Prince Albert (1819-1861), husband to English Queen Victoria. Related link: Artprice.com provides its customers daily updated art marketplace information on more than 306,000 artists, with over 3.7 million fine art auction records covering 2,900 auction houses worldwide, details of upcoming sales, biographies, along with images of 36,000 signatures and monograms (in 2004). Artprice's pages are available in English, French, and German. Also see artifact, artwork, collectible, collection, conceptual art, deaccession, manufacture, market value, object, and piece.