Vault Canvas

Authenticity

Authenticity is the confidence that an artwork is genuine and was created by the artist to whom it is attributed. For contemporary artists, collectors and galleries it underpins every transaction, every loan and every long-term claim to value. A work whose authenticity is in doubt becomes difficult to sell, insure or exhibit, regardless of its visual quality. Authenticity is not a single document but a position supported by evidence. The strongest cases combine clear provenance from the studio onwards, a signed Certificate of Authenticity tied to a unique catalogue number, an unbroken chain of ownership recorded through sales invoices, complete artwork documentation including high-resolution images and measurements, and where relevant the artist's own confirmation. Each element on its own can be questioned; together they form a coherent argument that the work is what it claims to be. For living artists, authenticity is largely within your own control. Issue a Certificate of Authenticity with every sale, retain a copy in your digital archive, photograph and measure works accurately before they leave the studio, and keep correspondence with galleries and collectors so attribution can always be traced back to you. For collectors and galleries, never rely on visual judgement alone. Compare the work to the artist's documented body of work, examine the supporting paperwork, verify the names and dates against the artist's own records or estate where possible, and commission specialist examination for older or higher-value pieces. Authenticity matters most at the moments of greatest pressure: a major sale, an estate transfer, an auction consignment or a museum loan. Each of these triggers due diligence by experienced parties who will scrutinise the evidence. Building that evidence quietly from the moment a work is finished is far easier than reconstructing it years later, and is the most reliable protection of the artist's reputation and the work's long-term value.

Authenticity is the confidence that an artwork is genuine and was created by the artist to whom it is attributed. For contemporary artists, collectors and galleries it underpins every transaction, every loan and every long-term claim to value. A work whose authenticity is in doubt becomes difficult to sell, insure or exhibit, regardless of its visual quality. Authenticity is not a single document but a position supported by evidence. The strongest cases combine clear provenance from the studio onwards, a signed Certificate of Authenticity tied to a unique catalogue number, an unbroken chain of ownership recorded through sales invoices, complete artwork documentation including high-resolution images and measurements, and where relevant the artist's own confirmation. Each element on its own can be questioned; together they form a coherent argument that the work is what it claims to be. For living artists, authenticity is largely within your own control. Issue a Certificate of Authenticity with every sale, retain a copy in your digital archive, photograph and measure works accurately before they leave the studio, and keep correspondence with galleries and collectors so attribution can always be traced back to you. For collectors and galleries, never rely on visual judgement alone. Compare the work to the artist's documented body of work, examine the supporting paperwork, verify the names and dates against the artist's own records or estate where possible, and commission specialist examination for older or higher-value pieces. Authenticity matters most at the moments of greatest pressure: a major sale, an estate transfer, an auction consignment or a museum loan. Each of these triggers due diligence by experienced parties who will scrutinise the evidence. Building that evidence quietly from the moment a work is finished is far easier than reconstructing it years later, and is the most reliable protection of the artist's reputation and the work's long-term value.