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Someone who decides to continue his or her art history education at the master’s or PhD level could apply his or her finely developed skill set as a museum curator. Museum curators are responsible for much more than wearing sleek, modern clothing and interesting eyeglass frames. This job covers a wide range of duties that might include: acquiring artwork, planning and managing art exhibits, managing the transportation of exhibits and works of art, and, in some cases, physical care of the artwork.
A curator can also be responsible for research and publishing at larger, higher-profile galleries or museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York. At these larger galleries or museums, curators are usually focused on one particular area, such as ancient Egyptian art, as a subject-matter expert.
Another interesting career opportunity is as an art appraiser. An art appraiser has several main responsibilities. First, they authenticate artwork, or validate that a piece of art is indeed made by a particular artist. Art appraisers also evaluate works of art to determine a price for that particular piece.
The demand for a particular piece of art is determined by key factors, such as the reputation of the artist and the number of works he or she has produced. This information is useful for auction houses in determining a reserve price, or the minimum price to be accepted at an auction. Art appraisers can also find employment in museums, as independent contractors, and for insurance companies that protect the investments of owners of works of art.
A career in art history is not limited to just art or art-related fields. Art history education encourages critical-thinking skills and the ability to analyze data, especially visual data. Creative problem-solving skills are also developed throughout an education in art history. These are all skills that are in high demand.
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Other jobs within art history include an arts librarian or a graphic designer, but an education in art history is transferable. Some find careers in teaching, contract management, and business administration.Source: THIS TUTORIAL WAS AUTHORED BY IAN MCCONNELL FOR SOPHIA LEARNING. Please see our Terms of Use.