"Kunstwelten" presents a classic of art sociology finally available in German. Here, artworks are not seen as the creations of individually working geniuses, but rather as the result of a cooperative network involving art dealers, critics, equipment and material manufacturers, financiers, and audiences, all of whom collaborate with the artist in the production of a work of art. With detailed analyses of examples ranging from art photography to quilt-making, Becker explores in "Kunstwelten" the various aspects of this form of collective action, from the establishment of aesthetic value systems, art criticism, and censorship to funding and distribution, as well as special cases such as artistic outsiders or naive artists. Having long become a standard work, Becker remains relevant today.