The Dangerous Expert, part 1
- gerard van weyenbergh
- 51 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Why Expertise Can Protect You—or Cost You a Fortune
Most collectors believe that once an expert becomes involved, uncertainty disappears.
The logic seems reasonable.
An expert has knowledge.
An expert has experience.
An expert has credentials.
Therefore, the expert should know the answer.
If only it were that simple.
During my decades in the art world, I have learned a lesson that surprises many collectors:
The greatest risks often emerge not when there is no expert involved, but when the wrong expert becomes involved.
The danger is not ignorance.
The danger is misplaced confidence.
The Authority Problem
Human beings naturally trust authority.
We trust doctors.
We trust attorneys.
We trust engineers.
And we trust experts.
In most professions, this instinct serves us well.
In the art world, however, expertise is often more subjective than collectors realize.
Unlike mathematics, there is rarely a single equation that settles a dispute.
Unlike chemistry, there is rarely a single test that provides a definitive answer.
Art authentication, attribution, valuation, and market analysis often involve interpretation.
Interpretation introduces disagreement.
And disagreement creates risk.
Two highly respected experts can examine the same artwork and reach completely different conclusions.
Both may be intelligent.
Both may be experienced.
Both may be acting in good faith.
Yet one of them will ultimately be wrong.
Sometimes both are wrong.
The Expert Who Wants to Be Right
The most dangerous expert is not necessarily dishonest.
The most dangerous expert is often the expert who becomes emotionally invested in a conclusion.
Once an individual publicly commits to an opinion, changing that opinion becomes difficult.
Professional reputations become involved.
Public statements exist.
Articles have been published.
Lectures have been given.
Certificates have been issued.
A reversal can feel like an admission of failure.
As a result, some experts begin defending conclusions rather than investigating facts.
The moment that happens, objectivity begins to disappear.
The expert is no longer following evidence.
The evidence is being forced to follow the conclusion.
The Conflict of Interest Nobody Discusses
Collectors frequently assume experts are neutral.
Sometimes they are.
Sometimes they are not.
The art world contains numerous situations where interests overlap.
Consider the possibilities:
· The expert is also a dealer.
· The expert owns works by the artist.
· The expert advises collectors with competing interests.
· The expert has business relationships with galleries.
· The expert benefits financially from a particular outcome.
· The expert has previously expressed strong public opinions.
None of these circumstances automatically invalidate an opinion.
However, they should be understood.
Every opinion exists within a context.
Sophisticated collectors do not merely evaluate conclusions.
They evaluate incentives.
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