Men and women judge art differently, according to a Michigan State University study. The researchers said that men tend to focus more on the artist's background and authenticity, while women concentrate plainly on the art itself.

The is the first study to determine the impact of an artist's personal brand on an average consumer during an art evaluation.

"All consumers in the study, but especially men, evaluated art with a strong emphasis on how motivated and passionate the artist was," said Stephanie Mangus, assistant professor in MSU's Broad College of Business, in a press release. "So if you're an artist or if you're managing an artist, developing that human brand - getting the message across that you're authentic - becomes essential."

For the study, the researchers asked 518 people to observe two unfamiliar paintings with fake biographies of the artist. Some of the bios labelled the artist as authentic (a committed painter who creates unique work), while others contained words describing an ordinary painter who pursued the craft only recently.

The researchers found that participants mostly preferred works of authentic artists. They were even willing to pay a higher price for such art works.

Men were more likely to consider the artist's brand as a deciding factor while valuing art. Women also favoured the artist's authenticity, but the artwork played a bigger role in their decision making.

"Women are more willing to go through a complicated process of actually evaluating the artwork," Mangus said, "Whereas men may say, 'This guy's a great artist, so I'll buy his art.'"

"For the average person trying to purchase art, knowing something about the artist - and knowing that the artist is authentic - can reduce the risk of buying a worthless piece," Mangus said.

The findings are also applicable to other visible product industries like clothing, shoe, jewelry, restaurant and food industries.

"While designers and chefs oftentimes operate in the background, this research suggests that more emphatically communicating their passion and commitment to their craft could significantly benefit that brand's image and sales," the researchers said.

The finding is published in the journal Psychology & Marketing.