International Art Market Returns to Quality and Greek Trends Follow
Collectors are moving away from ephemeral trends to prioritize provenance and historical significance in both international and Greek secondary markets.
The international art market returns to quality – and the Greek market follows
The start of the autumn art season finds the international art market facing a clear shift. From Frieze Week and the major London auctions to Art Basel Paris and the New York sales, collector interest is turning once again toward established artists and secondary market works.
Following a period of intense speculation surrounding younger names and fleeting trends, both seasoned and newer collectors are now seeking works by creators with a strong position in art history, a recognized market, and proven collectible value.
A characteristic example is the increasing demand for significant works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, René Magritte, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Joan Miró. Simultaneously, the release of major private collections and estates onto the market creates a rare opportunity: exceptional works, which remained in private hands for decades, are returning to the secondary market.
The major autumn auctions are expected to reinforce this image. Masterpieces by leading Modernist creators are returning to the spotlight, confirming a broader "return to quality": less emphasis on the ephemeral and greater attention to the artist's significance, quality, provenance, rarity, and the position of a specific work within their overall oeuvre.
The Greek secondary art market
This trend is not limited to the international market. A similar direction is discernible in the Greek art market, where collector interest is steadily shifting toward significant works by established 20th-century Greek creators.
Yannis Moralis, Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, and Nikos Engonopoulos are already among the strongest names in the Greek secondary and auction markets, while creators such as Yannis Gaitis, Alekos Fassianos, and Alexis Akrithakis have gained a stable presence and recognition among both Greek and international collectors.
Works by all six of these important Greek artists are currently being offered by STOA to the art-loving and collecting public in Greece.
STOA and the secondary market
The secondary market for significant works of Greek art constitutes a core field of activity for STOA. Selection is not based simply on a famous creator's name. Each work is examined as an individual case, with an emphasis on authenticity, provenance, condition, quality, rarity, and its place within the artist’s production.
These are the elements that, over time, shape the collectible significance of a work and contribute to the preservation of its value in the secondary market.
In a period where the international market is re-evaluating the importance of established creators, this philosophy becomes even more relevant. STOA operates precisely in this segment of the market: the sourcing, selection, and offering of significant works by acclaimed Greek and international artists on the secondary market.
Today's "return to quality" in the international market confirms a principle that has been at the core of STOA’s selection process for years: it is not enough to buy a big name; what matters is buying a good work by that big name.
Source: Artnet News