The certificate of authenticity of an artwork

What is the certificate of authenticity of an artwork used for?

The certificate of authenticity is the document guaranteeing that the work has been produced by the artist with whom it is associated.
Written in a single copy, this passport, attesting to the authorship of a creation, may prove to be essential when selling or insuring the work. Like an identity card, the certificate of authenticity follows works throughout their life, from purchase to resale.
 

Who can issue a certificate of authenticity for an artwork?

• the artist himself;
• the artist's heirs;
• an auctioneer;
• an online or physical art gallery;
• an art dealer;
• an art market professional (expert, scholar, art historian).

What information must the certificate of authenticity of an artwork of art include?

• the artist's name;
• a photo of the artwork;
• the title of the work;
• dimensions or format;
• description of the support (canvas, wood, paper, etc.);
• the technique and materials used (paint (acrylic paint, watercolor, oil paint, etc.);
• the date of creation;
• the identification number for works that are part of a series;
• the number of copies made of works from a limited edition print (fine art photos, for example);
• the artist's signature accompanied by an official stamp or a fingerprint;
• the date of issue of the certificate.

Responsibility of sellers

In accordance with Article 1 of the Marcus Decree, sellers of works of art or collectibles must provide the buyer with any document containing the specifications put forward during the sale. It could be :

• an invoice;
• a receipt;
• a sales slip;
• an extract from the minutes of the public sale.

We must find a certain amount of information such as the nature of the work (painting, sculpture, photo, etc.), its composition, its origin and its age.
Contravening the provisions of this decree engages the seller's liability (professionals, experts and specialists, etc.) and exposes him to the penalties provided for for fifth class contraventions.


 

The degree of authenticity according to the Marcus decree

Articles 3 to 7 of decree n ° 81-255 of March 3, 1981 provide details on the definition of the author of the work.
Depending on the degree of authenticity of the works, the formulas used by the seller may be as follows.

• "Work of", "by" or "signed by". These three statements guarantee an authentic work, executed by the artist indicated (article 3).
• "Assigned to". This mention reflects a doubt about the exact attribution of the work. Its author could be the nominated artist (article 4).
• "Workshop of" this denomination indicates that the work or object was made in the studio of the cited artist or under his direction (article 5).
• "School of". This formula indicates that the author of the work is a student of the cited artist. The work must have been produced during the artist's lifetime or less than fifty years after his death (Article 6).
• "Like", "like", "like", "like", "after", "like". These expressions do not confer any guarantee on the authenticity of the work with regard to the period, the identity of the artists or of the school (Article 7).

These formulas are used to describe the works in an auction catalog, a presentation sheet, an invoice or a certificate of authenticity.

 

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