The world of science is amazing. It is an exciting world of things still undiscovered that hold the answers to the questions of how things work and why they do. Engineering is impressive. It opened for us a number of possibilities letting us enjoy high levels of technology is our everyday lives. For some people however, these things are just disciplines that are there. The soul asks for more than just knowledge and hard facts. These kind of people appreciate art and culture and history. These people have what it takes to be an art detective.
The hard sciences are filled with their cold facts, engineering and the maths with computation and formulas. Art is different. It is subjective, with perception depending on one’s history, culture, and societal norms. In art, there are no defining lines that say what is right or wrong or pleasing or ugly. These individuals who take this road must know a job is available to them, one that would not put them on the streets.
The art detective [http://web.archive.org/web/20130730093738/http://www.securitystrategiestoday.com/our-services] is a person knowledgeable on the arts and on its technicalities. It knows the importance of paying homage to the great painters and sculptors. At the same time he has the technical intelligence to know how to preserve these things. He knows how these came about, how to protect them against the wear and tear of time.
To be one, it is most important to have a love for art. Not for the fancy and pretty and popular only. Not for its high selling costs and potential for growing one’s wealth. The person must feel a connection to his work and the artworks he encounters. It must be innate in him, not something developed.
Still, love is never enough to get one’s desire. It is very important to really be knowledgeable about the craft. A degree in the arts such as art history or art studies would be great. It does not need to be about the creation or production aspect of the craft. What matters is to understand the things that shape art – world history, human culture, traditional societies.
In studying about the arts, it is not enough to just have a degree in the above courses. In fact, undergraduate studies may not even be adequate to have a full grasp on all there is to learn about the subject. It would be wise for one to really pursue a master’s geared toward his chosen field of expertise.
Once an extensive knowledge and understanding is gained, the aspiring detective must begin to try applying for museums, art collector’s galleries, etc. During this point, you can learn all the technical things you might have missed during your years of university study. If the job you desire is not available, there is always being an authenticator, a art restorer, or even a curator.
In the end, it’s all about one’s passion for the soulful discipline. Being an art detective is just one of the options, and the way listed here is just a tried-and-tested method. There might be other ways, and other jobs more interesting for that matter. To find good work in the industry, even if you are not exactly the top guy, that is probably enough.
