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Collecting is defined as gathering together things of a particular type, according to the interests and means of the collector and to catalogue and classify them accordingly. There are all sorts of collections, some rather strange, although many collectors share an enthusiasm for the same kind of things.

Collecting goes back a long way. There were art collections in ancient times; in Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilisations.

Many centuries later, during the Renaissance, a renewed interest in the cultural and artistic legacy from Classical times drove patrons to enlarge their art collections. These collections were how some museums started. In fact, the word 'museum', was coined during the artistic outpouring which took place during the Renaissance.

However, generally art collecting was for monarchs and aristocrats, something which didn't change until the 19th century when the bourgeoisie, the new class of wealthy businesspeople and industrialists, was in its heyday.