Provenance Documentation and Why it Is So Important for Art Collectors
One of the most important pieces of information to record about the art you collect is provenance. The term provenance derives from a French verb that literally means “to come from” and refers to the ownership history of a particular work. Through provenance, a piece can be authenticated. Provenance generally includes documentation about the creator of the art, as well as its history and an appraisal. Unfortunately, authenticity documentation can be falsified and claim that a piece comes from a place that is not true. Obviously, a forgery does not have the same value as an original so provenance is a way to rule out that a piece has been forged. Provenance makes it possible to track a piece’s history and verify its authenticity.
The Basics to Know About Provenance Documentation
The main thing to know about provenance is that these documents come in many different forms. Ideally, the piece has a signed statement of authenticity that comes directly from the art or someone who is an expert on the artist. Without this, or even alongside this, provenance may include an original gallery sales receipt or sales documentation from the artist. Another great option to prove provenance is an appraisal from an expert in that particular era. You should recognize that any of these documents can be faked, but they can also be verified when necessary and having multiple types of documents makes a fake much less likely.
Some people suggest that a verbal communication can serve as authentication, but this will not prove much if you want to sell the piece. If someone gives you verbal confirmation, request a written document that you can store and get it certified by the artist or the gallery where you purchased the work. Paper documentation is the gold standard in the industry. Also, you should recognize that a value appraisal is not actually part of provenance unless the appraiser is an expert in the particular era or artist in question. Typical appraisals do not authenticate artwork and thus cannot be used as proof of authenticity. Most appraisers work off of the assumption that a piece is authentic and assign a value based on this assumption.
Provenance Documentation Always Needs Corroboration
As mentioned above, the documents included in provenance can always be faked, which is why corroboration is so important. Corroboration involves investigation of the documents to ensure authenticity. Corroborators will trace back signatures, find artists, and check in with previous owners. If everything checks out, the likelihood of forgery is significantly lower although still not necessarily eliminated. Unqualified experts will often attribute art and that does not mean they are incorrect. However, you can trust the documents more fully with corroboration and, importantly, convince a potential buyer. A qualified expert should always be enlisted for corroboration.
Figuring out who is a qualified authority can prove difficult because it involves more than finding someone who claims to be one. The person should have an extensive background with the artist or era in question. Ideally, this individual has published papers related to the topic or at least teach courses that are relevant. Perhaps the person cataloged and collected essays written by other people. One exception to this, of course, is if the artists themselves are available to corroborate. Naturally, the artists and even their family members, can corroborate works. This exception may also extend to employees and descendants of the artist depending on the circumstances. Always think critically about who is doing the work and the qualifications for doing so.
Considering Provenance as You Purchase New Works of Art
Provenance needs to be a central part of the consideration of whether or not to purchase a piece of art. If you buy directly from the dealer or gallery, provenance is assumed, but you still need the proper documentation so that you can prove authenticity to other people, including museums and potential buyers. Never take what a dealer tells you as the absolute truth and always ask to see the provenance documentation. Think critically about the documents you get shown and whether or not they have been corroborated by qualified people. If you decide to buy the piece, you will be responsible for proving authenticity down the line so make sure you believe the documentation and that everything requiring verification gets analyzed appropriately.
Sometimes, gallerists will say that provenance is withheld to protect the identity of people who formerly owned the piece. This situation can prove very tricky. Enough documentation may exist outside of this information to prove authenticity, which makes the point moot although it could cause problems for you down the line. If there is no additional information, you may want to consider investing in a different piece as lack of provenance will make selling the piece very difficult and could cut deep into the potential value. You may be able to collect your own provenance documentation, but this will take a lot of time and legwork and is not always possible.
