Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted Access (SIA Only)

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Art Business

First Advisor

Maria Sancho Arroyo

Second Advisor

Noah Kupferman

Abstract

Collecting plays a key role in shaping the art market, determining the cultural significance of artworks, and guiding its development. The following thesis highlights the pivotal and transformative role of collectors in the global art market through the lens of one of the world´s most unique and distinguished collections - the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. The research examines how collectors, who facilitate the circulation of ideas, values, styles and meanings, set trends, influence artist´s success, and others to perceive their ideas and follow them as authoritative examples.   This paper focuses on the role of collectors in the art market, how being part of a collection affects an artist's success in the market, the criteria and strategies behind the compilation of a collection, the function of a collection, and its influence on artistic processes and explores a particular Thyssen-Bornemisza collection. That collection serves as the primary case study of this research.  The study is methodologically based on a variety of sources, both digital and theoretical: a combination of academic publications, museum documentation, archival material, market and digital sources, and interviews, which provide a multi-layered approach.  Ultimately, the thesis reveals the multifaceted nature of the collecting phenomenon, including both personal motivation and market logic, with a historical and cultural context that will center on the majestic Thyssen-Bornemisza collection, but not only with its fascinating description, but also with an understanding of it as a complex mechanism intertwined with the realities of culture, economics, personal initiative, public interest, and contemporary art.

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