The FAR® Blog

Fine Art Connoisseurship and its Reckoning: Processes, Problems, and Appropriate Role for the Fine Art Connoisseur in the Authentication Process

Just for the sake of example, let us pretend that you have just purchased a painting at a yard sale, or a flea market. Or perhaps stumbled upon a dusty relic in Great Grandma’s attic. You are almost certain that this find is an original from one of the masters, maybe a Picasso. What is your next move and where do you go to affirm such a find? Is it a treasure or simply decorative art? Many might feel that they should consult with the local museum curator or travel to a metropolitan area where art historians abound. Art authentication for all intents and purposes is a murky area and left in numerous cases to the gut feelings of the connoisseur. According to an article written for Fine Art Registry™ by John Dabb entitled Fine Art Connoisseurship and its Reckoning: Processes, Problems, and Appropriate Role for the Fine Art Connoisseur in the Authentication Process, this area of authentication is seriously flawed.

Without going through the three proper steps of authentication, including science, provenance, and connoisseurship, an invalid result could very possibly occur. Fully forty percent of works in museums worldwide are of dubious authenticity. Most of these questionable works were authenticated by Berenson, Duveen and other famous old world connoisseur’s whom in most cases had an interest in their authentication outcome. Even today things have not changed much in the area of connoisseurship.

Connoisseurship is still extremely important but without the initial first two steps of science and provenance the outcome of authenticating a work may have deeply flawed results.

John’s article will help to clarify the somewhat cloudy areas that seem to develop when you have and or find a special work that needs to be authenticated. The path will be made clear when you read this enlightening piece at www.fineartregistry.com.