How to find out the author of a painting and obtain a document of authorship

Let's consider two options in which you can get a document from the author - attribution, expert opinion. 

First option. 

You have come across a painting on which there is no artist’s signature - both on the front side and on the back, or the signature is illegible. Consequently, you want to find out “who painted the painting, who created it?” If “the artist is dear,” it means it’s something valuable and you’ll want to keep this painting and pass it on to your heirs.

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Second option.

You can guess who the author of the picture is, who its artist is. Perhaps there is a signature or someone told you the name of the artist. In this case, you only need to confirm authorship in writing.

The listed options in science are called attribution, the establishment of attributes. Among people, we more often hear the name - attribution, establishment of authorship, expert opinion, examination, document for a painting.

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Let’s take a closer look at the expert’s work to establish and confirm the artist’s authorship. Having received the painting in hand the expert’s attention is directed to the following factors:

- character of the letter

Each person's fingerprint and iris are unique. Also, each artist’s style of painting is original. One artist focuses on figures, the other on images. One artist communicates with the viewer with colors, while another is able to convey the plot with several lines and spots. Some artists are known for the completeness of the plot, its detailed elaboration, the so-called high detail. Other artists convey the plot and idea through images and abstractions, so that each viewer examines and sees their own meaning.

A separate topic is fakes. If the painting is a copy, fake or reproduction, most likely there will be uncertain strokes on the painting in order to confuse the viewer with thoughts of “well, this artist seems to have a similar style.”  

- plot

Each artist chooses his own theme of creativity. One artist will paint only landscapes and still lifes. For example, "Ukrainian Van Gogh" Viktor Makarov, who painted portraits extremely rarely. Another will not stop at This is what portraits will be painted. For example, the honored and People's Artist of Ukraine Mikhail Kokin. The third will not understand the first two and will paint pictures in the style abstractions. A striking example of such an artist is Vladimir Oleshchuk.

- materials used

Every artist is also a craftsman who skillfully uses materials and their combinations. For example, canvas + oil, acrylic; paper + watercolor; cardboard + oil, acrylic; paper + pastel.

- writing technique

To paint pictures in their own style, artists use original paints, writing styles and stylistics. Therefore, a red vase from one artist in realism and another artist in cubism will be significantly different. Someone paints with a palette knife, while another applies paint to the canvas only with a brush. 

- condition of the painting

If an expert is dealing with an original, genuine painting, he will see that the age of the painting coincides with the years of the artist’s life. Using special equipment and techniques, you can determine the approximate period of creation of the painting. Therefore, if an expert establishes that the painting was created recently, in the last 10-20 years, and the artist died in 1987, then, alas, the painting is a fake.

Also, you need to know whether there have been any interventions in the painting, restorations, whether there is loss of the paint layer, craquelure. This will confirm or refute the authenticity (originality) of the painting.

A similar document that is often confused by users is called a certificate of authenticity. This document is issued when there is no doubt about authorship and/or the author of the work is still alive. Such a certificate can be issued by the artist himself, the sculptor (author of a work of art), or the gallery with which he cooperates. We have described in more detail in our section Certificate of Authenticity.

If you need help establishing or confirming authorship, contact the ArtDom gallery specialists and we will help you obtain an expert opinion on authenticity (attribution) if the painting is truly genuine.

To find out the cost of the service, call us +38 063 247 8102 or write to us at telegram, in Viber, or in Whatsapp

We work every day from 10:00 to 20:00.