New mobile app "Magnus" works like "Shazam for Art”

Magnus Resch has officially announced the launch of a new mobile app for the art world. Users take a photo of an artwork and the app returns all details, including prices. For the first time in art history, prices from both galleries and auction houses are made available for free. The app can be downloaded free from the Apple App Store.

Magnus’s key feature is the world’s largest price database for contemporary art, consisting of prices from the primary market, as well as prices from the secondary market. For the first time in art history, art prices are made accessible to everyone at no cost. The app draws its rich database from years of manual work, sophisticated technologies, and crowdsourcing. For several years internal users have added artworks and prices from art galleries around the world using the app. With the official public launch, the database is expected to grow even further. Magnus combines primary market prices with auction prices from over 1000 auction houses, dating back to 1901. 

Another key feature is similarly revolutionary. Magnus uses image recognition technology to make the usage of the app simpler. This Shazam-like feature allows users to take a photo of any artwork. Within seconds the app tells the user all details, such as artist name, artwork name, price, and other details.

The third key feature is also new to the art market. Magnus includes a map that shows all art galleries and museums, including current shows and opening hours. This will help users to find their way around the ever growing art jungle. 

At the moment the app works in New York only, however over the next few weeks it starts operating in London and Berlin, with more than 70 other art cities to follow.

Image above: Screenshot Artwork Iphone. Courtesy: magnus.net