Choosing a work of an artwork does not go without a certificate of authenticity.
This document, guaranteeing the authenticity of the work, is generally drawn up by the artist or by the gallery representing him.
In order to guarantee the traceability of the object, the certificate of authenticity of a work of art specifies the name of the author, the title and the characteristics of the work.
To insure or resell a work, this identification document may be essential.
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.
The certificate of authenticity of a work of art (certificate of authenticity or COA) can be issued by:
In terms of photo prints, the following can only benefit from a certificate of authenticity of an artwork of art:
In terms of sculpture, only works reproduced a maximum of eight times from a single mold can benefit from the status of original artwork
In either case, the number of copies made will appear on the certificate of authenticity.
How are certificates of authenticity for works of art secured?
To secure the authentication of a work of art, its certificate must be tamper-proof. This is why many certificates of authenticity of works of art are issued on watermarked paper or include security elements such as a seal, an electronic chip, a secure code or a QR code.
The certificate of authenticity of a work of art is governed by Decree No. 81-255 of March 3, 1981 on the suppression of fraud in transactions in works of art and collectibles.
This regulation, also known as the Marcus decree, sets standards for the authentication of works or objects of art. We take a closer look at them.
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 :
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.
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.
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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