How art-sellers are using Instagram to sell paintings worth £20m
Instagram's photo and video sharing features are increasingly being used by art sellers to reach potential buyers. Famously, in 2015, Leonard DiCaprio bought a painting he saw on Instagram. Last month, Brett Gorvy, formally of Christie's and now a dealer, posted a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat of Sugar Ray Robinson for sale; within sixteen hours he had three serious inquiries, one resulted in a sale for £19.5m two days later. Social media allows people to follow the top trends and see what buyers and sellers are interested in, it also gives them what they seem to want - immediacy, writes Rachel Hosie. 

Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}

Whilst many of our newsfeeds are overrun with pictures of babies and lunches, Instagram is becoming increasingly powerful in the world of art.

Not only is the photo- and video-sharing social network useful for promoting artists and exhibitions, it’s also a great way for art-sellers to reach potential buyers.

Most famously, Leonardo DiCaprio bought a painting in 2015 after seeing it on Instagram, and he’s not alone.

Recommended Top Instagrammers reveal their seven tips to taking the best photos

Whilst the traditional stereotype of a fine art connoisseur might seem like the polar opposite to the average Instagram-user, a 2013 report showed that almost half of art-buyers use the social network.

“Most of my top clients are on Instagram,” Christie’s then top dealmaker, Brett Gorvy, told Bloomberg.

Gorvy, who has 55,000 followers, recently learned firsthand just how powerful Instagram has become when he posted a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting of boxing champion Sugar Ray Robinson last month.

He was just about to board a plane from New York to Hong Kong, and by the time he’d landed 16 hours later, three clients had texted him asking if they could purchase the painting.

One immediately made an offer and the painting was sold two days later for the incredible sum of £19.5m.

Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Show all 15 1 / 15 Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Liebe an der Riviera by Artdreams. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures 94352 by Renée, selling on Wydr for €1,991. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures A piece by Inga Batatunashvili, which sold for €2,750 on Wydr. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Tinte Azul byYvette Lodge, marketed at €572.00. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Underwater Love by Isolde, selling for €1,100 on Wydr. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Tulip by Alexandra Melnikova. €999 on Wydr. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Intornado by El Dibujo, selling for €259.60. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures The Bather by Matthew Sweesy, on Wydr for €1,496.00. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Maria and Joseph Romaniw Baleigh Kuhar, selling at €999.90. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Secret Garden by Tashina von Koenigsmarc, selling for €5,500 on Wydr. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Jazz of all trades by Jahzeal. On Wydr for €715. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Gaze No. 9 by Tobias Hildebrandt, selling for €5,555. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Ballena by Andres Aarcia Figueroa, selling at €198. Wydr Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures The Art Collector by Martin Gerstenberger, €473.00 on Wydr. Wydr, the Tinder for art - in pictures Strange Harmony by Oliver BuBu Schibli, for €13,750 on Wydr. Wydr

Although art sales through Instagram aren’t unusual any more, this one was particularly huge. At an auction in 2007, the painting was sold for £5.9m - through Instagram, it fetched over three times that amount.

Auctioneer Simon de Pury, who himself has 175,000 followers, told Bloomberg that “that’s the highest number I’ve heard” for a work sold through Instagram.

Recommended The clever way to try contemporary art before you buy

Gorvy resigned from Christie’s this month but believes everyone is looking for an edge in the art marketplace, and Instagram is providing that: “That’s where the future is. It’s now, it’s happening.

“It just shows you the power of social media and the transformation of how people are buying.”

For Gorvy, Instagram also allows him to keep on top of trends and see what buyers and sellers are interested in.

And considering how quickly the Jean-Michel Basquiat painting sold, what the buyers want is immediacy.