Meaning & use
gallerist
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A person who owns or manages an art gallery, especially one that exhibits and sells contemporary art.
Grammar: Countable noun; use 'a gallerist' or 'the gallerist' when referring to one person.
Patterns
- a gallerist represents someone
- a gallerist shows something
- work as a gallerist
The gallerist decided to exhibit the young painter's work.
She worked as a gallerist in New York for over a decade.
A well-known gallerist will give a talk about the art market.
Word forms
| plural | gallerists |
|---|
Common combinations
- a successful gallerist
- He became a successful gallerist after opening his own space.
- a gallerist represents
- The gallerist represents several emerging artists.
- a gallerist shows
- The gallerist shows new work every month.
- a gallerist in London
- She is a gallerist in London with a focus on sculpture.
Synonyms and how they differ
- art dealer
- A broader term for someone who buys and sells art; a gallerist specifically runs a gallery space.
- gallery owner
- A more literal description; 'gallerist' is a more professional or insider term.
Word family
- gallery noun
- A room or building where art is displayed.
Commonly confused: gallerist or gallery?
gallerist vs gallery
A gallery is the place; a gallerist is the person who runs it.
Practice
What does a gallerist do?
Choose one answer.
A gallerist owns or manages an art gallery, exhibiting and selling art. Option A describes an artist, option C a guard, and option D a critic.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gallerist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.