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It's absolutely amazing how much power major branded dealers have in the contemporary art market.  They have significant influence and control over many artists, the value of their works, customers, and almost everything in between.  They are like the superstar agents for professional athletes, except they get a much larger commission and have more control over their clients.  After reading Thomson's analysis of the role of the dealer, I think they may often have more power in the contemporary art market than the artists they represent.  It's not surprising that Don Thompson is a professor of marketing, as the more I read for this course, the more I think that the art market is mostly about marketing and public relations.

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