Story of an art dealer of eighteenth century

Painting of an art gallery of eighteenth century 

Art market has started it's journey in the distant past. Art dealers and Artists have their own ways of making business. In the past artists had their work shops and they use to work in commissions. Many great artists had worked in the courts of the kings but in the eighteenth century it begins its journey in a very new format,to reach to the newly born elite class; art dealers and Artists  brought  a entirely new concept of selling the art products and to reaches the mass they Established art shops or art galleries. 
One noble man of eighteenth century took revolutionary steps to establish an art gallery. Gersaint who had a shop of art pieces set the standards that would lead to the highly professionalized dealers of the future. He use to publish catalogs, had organized auctions with viewing periods and travel guide etc. In modern times the curators of art galleries have adopted the same type of approach to host an exhibition or workshops. If we take a look at the painting above ,  made by his friend Watteau. In this painting we notice two man are engaged for showing paintings to the customers while the other is either making a portrait or showing an art piece. On the walls of the shop many paintings is being displayed for sell; here we see landscapes ,portraits,  still-lifes and mythology based paintings.The art dealer was well aware of his customers demands.
Gersaint had profound knowledge of art of renaissance or of his time and his clients which made him successful.Art Dealers of his generation and later generations were very much influenced by him. He is considered as one of the  the pioneers of establishing a new industry of art.