Best Online Art Galleries – The Digital Era of Art Appreciation

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What is an online gallery, and what are the differences between an online art gallery and a digital art marketplace? From contemporary works to iconic collectibles from the 1960s, finding and buying art has never been easier than it is today. In this article, we will dive into the most famous online art galleries from around the world, whose massive collections of art from emerging and established artists will leave you in awe of the many incredible concepts and ideas created by artists from across the globe. Read on to learn more about the world of online art galleries and the 20 most famous online art platforms in the world!

The Era of the Online Gallery

Nothing beats walking into a gallery and browsing works that you would dream of adding to your collection, but in this day and age, it is easier and more efficient to discover and browse from a wide selection of artists through online art galleries. So, what is an online art gallery? An online gallery refers to a digital commerce platform that is hosted on the web and enables its viewers to explore artworks and artists from its collection. Since there are so many online art spaces and platforms available on the Internet today, it is important to distinguish between an art marketplace versus an art gallery and how understanding these online spaces can help you navigate them better.

Since the invention of digital technology and the establishment of the internet, artists have taken to the digital world to replace and transition from physical institutions to online art galleries. In general, this transition has been known to democratize the art space in terms of art access to a global art audience and enabling transparency across the global art market. Through technological advancements and decades’ worth of data on global art markets, art museums and galleries have been able to successfully incorporate technology with art to offer dynamic platforms that engage artists, art audiences, collectors, and art dealers, while breaking down geographical barriers.

Today, digital art marketplaces can be understood as art platforms that are driven to provide more recognition to multiple art galleries from across the world in one space. These function as marketplaces and “digital art fairs” that provide unique and curated experiences for global audiences who visit these websites. Through such online marketplaces and art galleries, artists are encouraged to showcase their work to a global audience, which removes the hindrance to exposure that once existed in physical institutions. In the online space, artists are better equipped to present their biographies, portfolios, and statements on different art websites and social media platforms, which makes distribution and exposure much easier to achieve.

Transcending geographical and physical boundaries, online art galleries also foster a sense of community that engages directly with their digital audiences.

For many art collectors and novices in art collection, online art galleries can provide an important platform for exploring diverse genres, art styles, and artists, as well as helping art collectors to discover works at their own pace without the hindrance of geographical proximity. So, what do these online art galleries look like in reality? In the virtual space, online galleries take the form of virtual galleries that employ various advanced technology features such as 360-degree views and augmented reality applications to provide an immersive and rich experience. Incorporating such technologies is incredibly important in this day and age since online galleries strive to mimic the experience of a physical visit to a gallery through digital means. Below, we will unpack the basic characteristics that distinguish an online gallery from an art marketplace, as well as the reasons why you should sell and buy art online.

Online Art Galleries vs. Digital Art Marketplaces

Before we dive into our comprehensive list of the top 20 best online art galleries in the world, it will be incredibly useful to first break down and understand what the different art platforms offer in terms of their purpose and relations between collectors and artists. Today, many online art spaces on the internet offer room for artists to sell their works while also engaging with collectors. These online institutions have become known as online art galleries and digital art marketplaces. But what are the differences between these two? Below, we will dive into a quick discussion on the key differences between an online art gallery and a digital art marketplace.

Intention and Mission

Online art galleries and digital art marketplaces differ in many facets, one of the most important facets being its intention or purpose on the internet and in the art world. Online art galleries focus primarily on promoting and exhibiting artworks. These platforms enable artists to exhibit their artworks that often emphasize the visual art styles and storytelling behind the artwork. On the other hand, the purpose of the digital art marketplace is to cater to the purchasing and selling of artworks. As such, these e-commerce platforms are known to list artists’ works for sale and promote them in such a way that collectors can purchase them. Sometimes the boundaries between an online art gallery and a digital art marketplace are blurred and may be fused into what is known as a large-scale digital art fair.

Such art fairs encompass works from multiple artists and different artist groups from different galleries and institutions across the world which come together to exhibit art in a curated experience.

Curatorial Approach

Another important element that distinguishes online art galleries from marketplaces is its curatorial approach. Curation is one of the most important elements to consider when publishing an artwork for sale and establishing an artwork’s key selling points for online art galleries. Selection teams often curate and select artworks to convey a particular narrative or theme about the artwork. In addition to this, another aim is to sell the artwork to a digital audience. Digital art marketplaces are often more inclusive and diverse and enable artists to list their work directly without additional curation. As such, these digital art marketplaces cater to a range of artistic preferences and styles.

Artist Representation and Sales Models

Another key factor to consider when characterizing an online art platform as an art gallery or art marketplace is identifying how they represent their artists. In online art galleries, artists are often represented in a way that involves the logistics of their artworks, negotiations, and the marketing of their work. Artists working with digital art marketplaces usually represent themselves and use the platform to manage their own sales marketing and customer interactions. In addition to the artist representation between an online gallery and a digital marketplace is that most online art galleries do offer their artworks for sale, however, their primary focus is on promoting the artist and the artwork.

Sales is often thought of as a secondary element to exhibiting the artwork. In digital art marketplaces, most artworks and shows are designed to enable a successful transaction and list artworks with their prices so that buyers can make direct purchases.

Engagement With Artists and Collectors

Online art galleries also navigate the interactions between artists and their audience through the appreciation of an artist’s work. Online art galleries tend to focus more on the biography and portfolio of the artist to generate the interaction between the artist and the audience. On the other hand, digital art marketplaces are seen as more transactional in that they provide information such as the pricing of the artwork quite directly, such that the interaction between art and collectors revolves around the purchasing of artwork.

Fostering Community and Driving Engagement

One common factor between online art galleries and marketplaces is that to varying degrees, each online institution offers room to build connections among online communities. Online art galleries tend to emphasize storytelling and visions led by the artist to garner such communities while art marketplaces focus on the selling and buying of artwork.

Despite the transactional and commercial nature of marketplaces, community building is still possible among art forums, blogs, and collector groups that share information about market trends.

Reasons to Sell Your Art Online

There are many reasons to sell your art online and enter the global stage such that your art is exposed to a diverse audience. As one of the many benefits of exhibiting your art online, artists can enjoy the pleasure of global exposure, which can lead to an increased potential for global recognition, especially for emerging artists. This is one of the prime selling points of exhibiting your work online, which can increase your potential for sales. Artists who work with online galleries can also have more control over the narratives that they publish and curate their portfolios in unique ways to establish an online presence.

Whether it is an online marketplace or an online art gallery, artists can choose to exhibit their work independently or in collaboration with other artists. Furthermore, working with an online gallery also means that artists can lower their overheads. This means that generally, artists will be able to maintain the lower costs in terms of maintaining their work since it exists online and negates the costs of maintaining work in a physical gallery. Exhibiting your work in an online gallery is thus one of the most cost-effective options for artists who are seeking to engage with global collectors and art enthusiasts without excessive additional costs. Another excellent benefit of exhibiting your work online is that it provides a platform for direct engagement with art collectors and dealers, who can also contact artists directly through email, online channels, and social media. Establishing a direct engagement with your art collectors or fans also means that you can establish a sense of community and create valuable connections in the art world.

Why You Should Buy Art Online

For art collectors, there are many incredible benefits to purchasing art online. While you may enjoy browsing through art galleries and museums, and the nostalgic feeling of witnessing a work in its physical form for the first time, you can also become more efficient in this digital age by browsing the artworks of emerging talents online. One of the benefits of shopping for art online is that you can view a wider selection of work from artists, who exhibit their work from around the globe. This could also make it easier to locate pieces that resonate more strongly with your preferences and tastes.

Online art galleries offer a more efficient process of purchasing and securing your artwork.

Online art galleries are celebrated for their convenience in the digital era that offers one the option of browsing and purchasing artwork from the comfort of one’s own home. This in turn reduces the need for one to physically leave one’s home and allows collectors to truly take their time in making decisions for themselves. Through the many unique interactive experiences available online, collectors can also easily visualize how an artwork may look in an interior space. Online art galleries also offer virtual exhibitions and previews of their shows using augmented reality technology to create a more immersive and enthralling digital experience.

Exploring 20 of the Best Online Art Galleries Worldwide

There are loads of benefits to viewing and purchasing art from an online gallery, one of them includes the ability to uncover new talents and emerging aesthetics in art without leaving the comfort of your home, or couch. Below, we have compiled a comprehensive list of the 20 most famous online art galleries in the world that offer the best of the best in terms of Contemporary art, diversity in art style, efficiency, and affordability.

MoMA Design Store (Est. 1989)

With a rigorous selection process, the MoMA Design Store is one of the most reliable and high-quality online art galleries available to all. Offering an extensive collection of artworks and art objects, from styles inspired by Pop art to Impressionism, the Museum of Modern Art’s online art store was established in 1989 and has since engaged in many collaborations over the years to provide unique and design-focused products and projects to its audience. Each product is carefully analyzed and selected by the curatorial department, which also focuses on architecture and design as significant cultural art forms in their own right.

One can relish the amazing products available with just the click of a button!

Artnet (Est. 1989)

Artnet is among the best online art galleries in the world, which is not only a trading platform but also an international research site that includes works of design, fine art, and the decorative arts. An excellent platform for research, one can also find contact information for other galleries while enjoying the full transparency of prices from the art market. The site is best catered to collectors and art dealers, as it features more than 170,000 works of art by around 320,000 artists. The platform was first launched in 2008 alongside its French site artnet.fr, which included a French magazine with critical insights on the French art market. Today, it remains one of the best online art galleries to explore due to its large network and artist base.

Art.com (Est. 1998)

Art.com is another world-famous online art gallery space that markets not only fine art but décor and hand-crafted goods. Sold as accessories or decorations, the site features more than one million artworks, including printed works and multi-media objects. Art.com was established in 1998 with its base in Emeryville, California.

To date, the online gallery remains a highly recommended site for purchasing art at affordable prices.

West Elm (Est. 2002)

This famous online art gallery offers the perfect marketplace for shopping home décor and signature wall artworks for interior spaces. The gallery is a part of the home furnishing retailer West Elm, which hosts more than 1,000 artists and over 7,000 art objects and artworks. From 3D artworks to photographic prints and macramé art, West Elm has an expansive collection of works to explore. One can also browse the different Contemporary styles, from Modern art to Minimalist pieces that will complement any home. West Elm was founded in 2002 and is based in New York City, where their in-house team of designers works together to create bespoke designs and work that you will not find anywhere else. Furthermore, West Elm launched a project in 2013 aimed at boosting local economies run by artists and designers, which offered representation to many unique artists in the region and other underrepresented areas.

Fine Art America (Est. 2006)

Among the many online art galleries in America, Fine Art America is recognized as one of the top picks for online audiences to buy and sell art through. Fine Art America features a broad range of artworks to explore, from paintings to mixed-media artworks from more than 500,000 artists. The site is also incredibly easy to navigate, with the gallery’s physical base located in Santa Monica, California.

The gallery also boasts around 16 production facilities situated across the globe and comes with a 30% base commission for the use of the gallery’s licensing services. With Fine Art America, one could never run out of art to look at.

Redbubble (Est. 2006)

This famous online art gallery is one of the best art galleries that caters to the production of on-demand works by around 800,000 artists. The global marketplace was established in 2006 and is recognized as one of the most popular art-selling platforms in Australia. The gallery also maintains headquarters in Berlin and San Francisco and is made simple and efficient for artists to sell their works. The marketplace also offers a range of products aside from art to choose from and offers free membership to those who regulate their pricing and manage their own copyrights. Redbubble has since earned many awards, including the 2013 Web Awards for Best Company Website and Two Hermes Awards in 2015.

UGallery (Est. 2006)

UGallery was established in 2006 with its headquarters based in San Francisco, California. The famous online art gallery is celebrated for its efficient service of connecting collectors with artists directly and is one of the most convenient online galleries to date. The e-commerce platform has exhibited the works of more than 500 artists since 2014 and featured more than 6,500 works of art ranging from drawings to sculptures. Their client base also covers more than 45 countries with a massive social media presence of around 1.7 million followers. What makes the gallery so special is that it has been recognized by many as an approachable space that encourages collectors from around the world to engage in art and thus democratizes the art world.

In 2015, UGallery was named the top luxury e-retailer of the year for artwork.

Minted (Est. 2007)

Founded in 2007, the online art gallery Minted is one of the best art forums and platforms for sharing ideas, purchasing art, and discovering new designers, illustrators, and fine artists. Minted is based in San Francisco and its online space includes many artists from 50 states and over 100 countries. Since its establishment, the online community has accounted for more than 75 million artworks that have found homes in the collections of various buyers. The user-friendly site also presents the works in a way that is accessible and leaves out the unnecessary jargon often found in academic art institutions.

Zatista (Est. 2008)

Zatista is one of the lesser-known online art galleries that was recently recognized as a leader in curated online art spaces representing works by global emerging artists. From the experienced collector to the novice, one can easily navigate through the site and discover new additions to a curated selection of fine art. The gallery was founded in 2008 and has since been featured in publications such as The New York Times and Architectural Digest.

The highly trusted online art gallery has been recommended by corporate collectors and interior designers alike, which makes it a prime destination for anyone seeking to build their contemporary collection and buy art online.

Society6 (Est. 2009)

Society6 is a renowned online art gallery that exhibits the works of more than 450,000 independent artists from around the world. Society6 is known for its easy filtering system online that enables viewers to sort through the art style or room type and discover curated works from which to buy art online. Additionally, the gallery’s blog also offers interesting and informative articles to teach viewers how to navigate the odds and ends of home design and the placement of artwork. One can find almost any type of object or artwork, including wall art, technology accessories, and home décor. The gallery transforms unique art into art that can quickly be turned into a lifestyle while making it simple and easy to browse through.

Art.sy Inc (Est. 2009)

Artsy, which is also recognized as Art.sy Inc., is one of the best online art galleries in the world to buy art online. The online gallery was founded in 2009 and received its first major award a year later in 2010, the Rookie Disruptor Award. The platform was supported by The Art Genome Project, which was a collaborative project between engineers and art historians to assign new values to art that was based on more than 1211 “genes”. Today, the online platform hosts the works of over 100,000 artists, many of whom are considered icons in the art world.

The online gallery is a large platform that offers a rich source of information on art galleries, artists, and artworks it represents while helping viewers track the pricing of artworks, thus making the workload much lighter for collectors.

Rifle Paper Co. (Est. 2009)

For those seeking print works, Rifle Paper Co. is one of the best online art galleries offering affordable printed artworks that will please anybody. The art gallery features everything from home décor to art journals, wallpaper, and wall art. The cute and user-friendly platform showcases the heart of the gallery’s aesthetic. This was built on the founder, Anna Bond’s hand-painted designs, whose passion for illustration and the brand pushed Bond and her husband to expand their passion.

Saatchi Art (Est. 2010)

Perhaps the most loved online gallery is Saatchi Art, which is known to house the works of many famous artists, which include 94,000 individuals and 1.4 million artworks. The platform was founded in Los Angeles and is incredibly friendly for any user to casually, or seriously, browse through a variety of artworks.

From sculptures and paintings to photographs, Saatchi Art offers a diverse array of art styles, including a curator-approved selection of works for all budgets.

Artspace (Est. 2011)

Artspace is a famous curated art gallery, which is based in New York City and made its debut in 2011. Reaching sales of up to $100 million by 2013, Artspace is one trendy online gallery where you can buy art online. One of its founders was also listed as one of the top 10 CEOs to watch in 2011 by the Huffington Post and has since taken the online art marketplace by storm. The gallery’s art inventory was first valued at around $8 million, which over time had reached the hundreds of millions of dollars. Artspace has since been known to host more than 2,000 artists with works from around 400 galleries, who use the platform to publish new works. One can find works from some of the best art museums and collections here, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Guggenheim, and Serpentine Galleries. Among the most famous names that can also be browsed include Damien Hirst, Yayoi Kusama, and Jeff Koons.

Condé Nast Store (Est. 2011)

From AI art prints to NFT artwork and art prints, the Condé Nast Store is one of the best online art galleries of all time, which houses millions of photographs and illustration artworks by many renowned artists. From works by Edward Steichen to Roz Chast, the Condé Nast Store is a supreme collection demonstrating the wit and artistic style of some of the best modern and contemporary icons. The media brand house launched its online store in 2011, which also debuted some of the most famous cartoons from the Condé Nast collection with dedicated storefronts.

The Condé Nast Store offers viewers the opportunity to personalize their selections and purchase works from the Condé Nast archive.

Artfinder (Est. 2011)

With over 200,000 artworks to explore, Artfinder is one of the best online art galleries to date, which was established in 2011 with a base in London. This famous art marketplace is a go-to site for many art enthusiasts seeking multi-media artwork for their personal collections or as home décor. One can sort through the site’s offerings by browsing their selection of mediums and styles with prices as low as $24. To date, this famous online platform hosts around 25,000 artists from across the globe, making it a diverse and inclusive space to find many unique styles and emerging talents.

Bluethumb (Est. 2012)

Based in Melbourne, this curated online art gallery is celebrated as one of the best sites to purchase art and offers more than 6,500 works to browse through. Bluethumb was founded in 2012 and features work by over 20,000 artists, both emerging and well-established creators. Additionally, the gallery is also known to collaborate with around 20 remote Aboriginal centers that offer a diverse and rich platform for viewers to discover new and upcoming Aboriginal artists.

To date, the gallery has sold over 90,000 artworks to collectors from around the world.

Artsper (Est. 2013)

Artsper is considered to be one of the best online art galleries of the decade, which was established in 2013 to shift the narrative of set principles that guide art lovers. The global art marketplace offers personalized recommendations, which makes its site easy and approachable to use. One can easily find a work that suits their budget while exploring the collections of over 1,800 art galleries, which publish works from more than 25,000 artists. From an elegant gift to a full-fledged investment, Artsper is one art gallery that all aspiring collectors must explore.

SINGULART (Est. 2017)

SINGULART Gallery is a famous curated online gallery space that strongly supports both designers and artists from all corners of the globe. The online gallery was established in 2017 and brings viewers the best of Contemporary talent, which is inclusive of many women in art and design, who are often underrepresented in American museum collections. The gallery has its headquarters based in Paris, France, and hosts over 12,000 artists on its site. The gallery has also received many awards for its impact on the art world, including the Scale-up of the Year award by EY and the 2022 Bold Woman Award by Veuve Clicquot, which was awarded to one of the founders of the gallery.

The global gallery is also recognized for its continuous support and aid to organizations such as the NGO Médecins du Monde.

Good Black Art (Est. 2021)

Good Black Art is a famous curated online gallery that focuses on the empowerment and promotion of Black artists. The gallery space offers an upbuilding site for emerging Black artists to receive mentorship and education from some of the best guides in the art world. The gallery exists as a platform for e-commerce and media partnerships. The emerging contemporary online gallery offers a powerful and engaging overview of the arts ecosystem built by Black artists and creatives who work together to leverage their art for exploring creativity and opening up opportunities for new Black artists to preserve their legacies.

These top 20 online art galleries have been ranked as some of the best and most trusted online art marketplaces and galleries that have expanded art access to a global audience. In digitizing and democratizing art, the notion of the physical institution loses its rigidity in terms of access and inclusivity to invite a broader engagement with the art world that is more necessary than ever in the current era. We hope that these 20 curated art platforms will encourage you to explore the range of options available to emerging artists and collectors alike, who appreciate diversity and efficiency. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is an Online Art Gallery?

An online art gallery is a digital platform where artists showcase their artwork to a global audience. It serves as a virtual exhibition space, enabling artists to display their creations, share their artistic narratives, and connect with art enthusiasts. Online art galleries can encompass a wide range of artistic styles and genres, providing a diverse and accessible space for the appreciation and exploration of art. They may also facilitate the sale of artworks, but their primary focus is on promoting and celebrating the artist’s portfolio in an online environment.

Are Online Art Galleries and Art Marketplaces the Same?

In short, no, online galleries and art marketplaces are different and characterized by various approaches to their sales models, curatorial decisions, and missions. Online art galleries are committed to promoting the artist and their work in a way that prioritizes the narrative or concept behind the work. Digital art marketplaces are platforms that are more diverse and may feature groups of artists from multiple art galleries. These platforms aim to sell art and are considered more commercial in their approach.

Which Are the Three Best Online Art Galleries in the World?

Among the many diverse online art galleries on the internet that are considered the best online art galleries are Saatchi Art, UGallery, and Fine Art America. These online galleries are considered to be the most popular digital platforms for exhibiting and selling multi-media art.

How Does an Online Gallery Work?

Art galleries that are based solely on the web are known as online art galleries and are usually not defined by a physical gallery. While some online art galleries do have physical production sites and headquarters, they are not the primary platforms for exhibiting and selling art. Online art galleries generally have their own teams or departments, which are managed by professionals who work online. These galleries can sustain themselves using various digital marketing efforts to establish their online presence and promote the art of their artists.

Charlene Lewis( Content Writer for Painting and Crafting )

In 2005, Charlene completed her wellness degrees in therapeutic aromatherapy and reflexology at the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for several years before opening her own therapy practice. In 2015, she was asked by a digital marketer friend to join her company as a content creator, and it was here that she discovered her enthusiasm for writing. Since entering the world of content creation, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing about various topics such as beauty, health, wellness, travel, crafting, and much more. Due to various circumstances, she had to give up her therapy practice and now works as a freelance writer. Since she is a very creative person and as a balance to writing likes to be active in various areas of art and crafts, the activity at acrylgiessen.com is perfect for her to contribute their knowledge and experience in various creative topics.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and about us.