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Art & Art History vocabulary · Museums & Galleries

Gallery

Meaning in art & art history, with examples

/ˈɡæləri/nounCore term

In art & art history, gallery means: A room or building where art is shown to the public; also a private business that shows and sells the work of the artists it represents.

In Turkish: galeri, sanat galerisi, sergi salonu

How it is used

Has two common meanings: a room inside a museum (Gallery 12, the Islamic galleries) and a commercial gallery that sells art. Some public museums use it in their names, like the National Gallery in London. Commercial galleries represent artists, hold openings and take a share of sales.

Example sentences

  1. The Ottoman paintings are in the gallery on the second floor.

  2. He is represented by a gallery in New York that sells his work at art fairs.

Common collocations

  • art gallery
  • commercial gallery
  • gallery opening
  • be represented by a gallery
  • gallery space
  • exhibitionA public show of artworks or objects, arranged in a museum, gallery or other space, either for a limited time or permanently.
  • art dealerA person or company that buys and sells artworks as a business, often running a gallery and representing particular artists.
  • curatorA person who chooses and arranges artworks for exhibitions, or who looks after and researches a museum's collection.
  • collectorA person or institution that buys and keeps artworks or other objects, often over many years and around a particular theme.

More terms: Museums & Galleries

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