An art commission is a custom artwork requested and paid for by a buyer. From Renaissance patrons to contemporary practice, learn how commissions work and what they involve.
In 1508, Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo did not want the job. He considered himself a sculptor, not a painter, and he had been working on the Pope's tomb, a project he cared about far more. But the Pope insisted, and Michelangelo spent the next four years on a scaffolding 60 feet above the chapel floor, painting over 5,000 square feet of fresco. The result is one of the most famous works of art in Western history. It is also the most famous art commission ever executed. The dynamic has not changed in 500 years: a patron wants a specific work, an artist agrees to produce it, and the terms of the agreement, the subject, the size, the timeline, the payment, the degree of creative freedom, determine everything about the outcome.
A commission in the art world is a custom artwork requested and paid for by a buyer. The buyer, or patron, approaches an artist with a request for a specific work, and the artist produces it under terms negotiated between the two parties. The commission can be for a portrait, a landscape, a sculpture, an installation, a mural, or any other type of artwork. The key elements are that the work is made to order, that the buyer specifies some or all of the parameters, and that the artist is compensated for producing it. Commissions have existed for as long as art has been produced, and the relationship between artist and patron is one of the oldest social structures in the history of art.
This entry covers the history of art commissions, how the commission process works today, what terms and agreements are typical, and what the contemporary commission landscape looks like.
For most of recorded art history, commissions were the primary way that art was produced. The concept of an artist creating work independently and then seeking a buyer is a relatively modern development. Until the 18th century, most significant artworks were commissioned by patrons who specified the subject, the size, the materials, and sometimes even the composition.
In ancient Egypt, tomb paintings and sculptures were commissioned by the families of the deceased. In ancient Greece and Rome, public sculptures and architectural decorations were commissioned by civic authorities and wealthy individuals. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder recorded that the Greek painter Apelles was commissioned by Alexander the Great to paint his portrait, making it one of the earliest documented art commissions in history.
During the Renaissance, the commission system reached its fullest expression. The Medici family in Florence commissioned works from Sandro Botticelli, including The Birth of Venus (c. 1485) and Primavera (c. 1480). The Catholic Church was the largest patron of art in Europe, commissioning altarpieces, frescoes, and sculptures for churches and cathedrals across the continent. Pope Julius II commissioned not only the Sistine Chapel ceiling from Michelangelo but also the Raphael Rooms in the Vatican, painted by Raphael and his workshop between 1508 and 1524. The patronage system of the Renaissance is the foundation of the modern commission.
In the 17th century, the Dutch Republic developed a different model. With no royal court and no dominant church patronage, Dutch artists produced work for an open market of middle-class buyers. Rembrandt van Rijn received commissions for portraits, including The Night Watch (1642), which was commissioned by the Amsterdam militia company of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq. But many Dutch artists also produced speculative work, painting subjects they expected would sell, which was a departure from the pure commission model.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, the commission system diversified. Governments commissioned public art, corporations commissioned works for office buildings and lobbies, and private collectors commissioned portraits and custom pieces. The Mexican Mural Movement of the 1920s and 1930s, led by Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros, was a government-sponsored commission program that produced large-scale public murals across Mexico. In the United States, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project, which ran from 1935 to 1943, commissioned thousands of murals, sculptures, and paintings for public buildings.
The contemporary commission process follows a recognizable sequence, though the details vary by artist, medium, and the nature of the request. The process typically begins with an inquiry. The buyer contacts the artist, either directly or through a gallery, with a request for a custom work. The inquiry includes the buyer's ideas, timeline, budget, and any relevant context about the space where the work will be displayed.
If the artist agrees that the project is a good fit, the next step is a conversation or consultation to discuss scope, pricing, and timeline. This is where the parameters of the commission are established: the subject or concept, the size, the medium, the degree of creative freedom the artist will have, the number of revisions or progress check-ins, and the delivery date.
A deposit is then required to secure the commission and begin work. The deposit is typically non-refundable, because it covers the artist's planning time, materials, and the commitment of studio time to the project. Deposits range from 40 to 50 percent of the total cost. The remaining balance is due upon completion, prior to delivery or shipping.
During production, the artist develops the work in the studio. Some artists provide progress photos at agreed-upon milestones. Others do not share images until the work is complete, preferring to present the finished piece without intermediate review. The degree of buyer involvement during the creative process is negotiated upfront. As one contemporary artist notes, there can only be so much involvement within the creative process, and final artistic decisions remain with the artist.
A contract is standard practice. The contract specifies the scope of the work, the payment schedule, the timeline, the delivery method, and the rights of both parties. It may also address copyright, reproduction rights, and what happens if the buyer is unsatisfied with the completed work.
Read more about contemporary commission practices at S. Rueter Art and Galina Marcus.
Commission pricing is determined by several factors: the artist's reputation and market value, the size and complexity of the work, the materials required, the timeline, and the degree of customization. Established artists price commissions based on their standard market rates for comparable work. Emerging artists may price commissions lower, reflecting their developing reputation.
Payment structures vary. Some artists require a 50 percent non-refundable deposit with the balance due upon completion. Others use installment plans, allowing the buyer to spread the cost over several months. The P. Smallwood Art Patron Program, for example, offers tailored installment pricing that spreads the cost over 4 to 8 months, with payments that are non-refundable but transferable to other artworks or commissions if the buyer's preferences change. Read more at P. Smallwood.
Production time for a commissioned work typically ranges from several weeks to several months, depending on the size, complexity, and the artist's current commission schedule. JessLeeWong, a contemporary painter, estimates production time of up to 3 months for custom acrylic paintings, with a 50 percent non-refundable deposit required to secure a spot. Read more at JessLeeWong.
The internet has transformed the commission market. Platforms like Mecenates connect artists and patrons directly, allowing anyone to commission custom work, from digital portraits to sculpture, from cosplay props to handcrafted jewelry. Artists set their own availability, decide how many commissions to accept, and establish their own conditions. Communication, revisions, images, and project details are managed through the platform. Read more at Mecenates.
These platforms have democratized the commission process. Historically, commissions were available only to wealthy patrons who had direct access to artists. Today, a buyer can commission a custom artwork from an artist anywhere in the world, at a price point that ranges from a few hundred dollars for a digital portrait to tens of thousands for a large-scale painting. The platform model also provides protections for both parties: messages, payments, and project details are recorded in one place, reducing the risk of disputes.
Commissioned by Pope Julius II, the Sistine Chapel ceiling is the most famous art commission in history. Michelangelo painted over 5,000 square feet of fresco depicting scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the iconic Creation of Adam. The commission was initially resisted by Michelangelo, who preferred sculpture, but the result became one of the defining achievements of Western art.
Commissioned by Edsel Ford for the Detroit Institute of Arts, Rivera's mural cycle depicts the workers and machinery of the Ford River Rouge plant. The commission was controversial, with some critics accusing Rivera of communist propaganda, but the murals are now recognized as a masterpiece of 20th-century public art. The commission demonstrates how patrons can use their wealth to support politically engaged work.
Commissioned by the Amsterdam militia company of Captain Frans Banninck Cocq, The Night Watch is a group portrait that broke the conventions of the genre. Instead of arranging the figures in a static row, Rembrandt depicted them in motion, emerging from a shadowy archway. The commission was paid for by the individual members of the company, each of whom paid according to their prominence in the painting.
While not a traditional commission, American Gothic was inspired by a specific house in Eldon, Iowa, that Wood spotted and decided to paint with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that house." The painting was submitted to the Art Institute of Chicago's annual exhibition and won a bronze medal and $300 prize. It demonstrates the shift from the patron-driven commission model to the artist-driven speculative model that characterizes much of modern and contemporary art.
Commissions are closely tied to patronage, the broader system of financial support for artists that includes commissions, grants, and ongoing relationships between patrons and artists. The portrait is one of the most common subjects of commissions throughout art history. Appraisal is often needed for commissioned works, particularly for insurance purposes. The certificate of authenticity is especially important for commissioned works, since they are typically unique and may not have the same market comparables as editioned works. For more on how art is valued and traded, read our post on how to read a painting or our guide to art history in 10 minutes.
The commission is the oldest relationship in art: someone wants a work made, and someone else makes it. From Pope Julius II and Michelangelo to a collector commissioning a portrait through an online platform, the fundamental dynamic has not changed. What has changed is who can participate. The commission is no longer reserved for popes and Medicis. Anyone with a vision and a budget can approach an artist and request a custom work.
If you are considering commissioning a work, start by finding an artist whose style aligns with what you want. Look at their portfolio, read their commission policies, and be clear about your budget, timeline, and expectations. A good commission is a collaboration, but the artist's creative judgment should guide the work. For more on how artists work and how art is valued, read our entries on patronage and appraisal, or explore our post on the evolution of art styles.
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