THE   FREEMANART   CONSULTANCY

EXPERT IN THE FINE ART OF AUTHENTICATION

INVESTIGATION & AUTHENTICATION OF ART

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 The investigation & pursuit of authentication of works of art are professional procedures the Freemanart Consultancy undertake through both academic and forensic investigations set alongside in depth research & analysis, into the authenticity and legitimacy of all types, genres, schools & periods of fine art.

 Working from international bases & forensic laboratories in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and North America. From Picasso & Miro through to the art of the Old Masters, Freemanart are Expert in the Fine Art of Authentication.

This page covers the professional Art Authentication Services including; Fine Art Investigations - Art Authenticity Research Services - Art & Artwork Authentication Investigations - Forensic and Academic Analysis of Art & Artwork.

Plus the professional authentication of drawings, prints and paintings and art authenticity research & investigation projects conducted by Freemanart.

Why is the authentication of fine art necessary ?

 Art authentication identifies any contravention of international law and denies the process of fraud and therefore the success of criminality.

 Art authentication is a critical measure in maintaining the integrity of art history, its most respected artists and their art.

 The Authentication of art is vital in the detection and prosecution of forgery & sustains the ethic of honesty in society. Authentication therefore both upholds the social & financial value of art, thus preserving the quality of aesthetics.

SCHOOL OF REMBRANDT?     

Above: A Rembrandt authentication investigation forensic imaging.:

The authentication investigation quickly reveals images hidden beneath aeons of blackened varnish and over painting. This can lead to an accurate attribution or the end of a myth. As with this German old master painting executed in the style of Rembrandt but not authentic. or BY Rembrandt as it was believed.

Art Fraud is second only to drug trafficking which in the US alone brings in up to $64 billion dollars a year.

The scale of the problem of art fraud internationally therefore is

utterly staggering !

 This lengthy web page is dedicated to art authentication and to the authentication of paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints from all time frames, periods, schools and artists.
It sets out to explain the various art Forensic and Academic authentication procedures and types of authentication and attribution investigations we at Freemanart conduct and undertake for clients in matters of proving or disproving authenticity and qualifying attribution across the world.

ART FRAUD - SCAMS - PONZI  SCHEMES  &  ART  FORGERY

  When it comes to the very serious subject of art authentication, looking at a picture and giving an opinion is just not enough.

Neither is looking in a book!

Frankly, here in the real world, it doesn't work like that!

Authentication is a finely tune art. It must be proven beyond doubt, both academically & forensically just as in a case placed before a court of law.

 The procedures surrounding the authentication of art is a complicated, diverse and thorough professional occupation. One which takes hours of dedicated & detailed research time , intricate study, a huge amount of leg work and sophisticated forensic and academic analysis in its pursuit and finite qualification.

 *Many art appraisers claim to authenticate works of art. Frankly, they cannot.

 To Appraise is to estimate the monetary value and determine the worth of a property or item. This has nothing to do with authenticity and legitimacy.

 Many appraisers neither have the practical capacity, geographical locality and logistical ability. Or indeed the subjective experience, requisite recognised qualification and the overall facility in the main to conduct it.

By definition, Appraisers value art and do not Authenticate it.

Be cautious of that fact.

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  There are still many, many fakes which have been previously introduced into the art world and still are being at an alarming rate. Remember too that there are are a vast number of exceptionally talented professional fakers who are still producing highly sophisticated fakes & forgeries and to make matters worse, the supportive provenance and paperwork to go with them.

 Essencially, the provenance and history accompanying an art work needs to be thoroughly investigated &  proven to be legitimate for it to be taken responsibly.

Add to the equation the vast number of small time crooks and swindlers passing off mediocre & resigned paintings & drawings through internet sites and questionable auctioneers to gullible dreamers and authentication becomes a very serious business indeed.

The Perpetrators of Art Fraud:

 The crooks and fraudsters playing the field, range from very big time players involved with Ponzi schemes, scams and illicit investment opportunities, that sadly includes respectable fronted businesses and corporate firms dabbling in the gray areas of art fraud, right down to part time opportunists after a quick buck.

And this goes on the world over.

 Naturally with art authentication, painstaking archival and academic study is an imperative part of our work into the investigation of the authenticity of an art work. As is obtaining and collating the supportive or even detrimental opinions of alternate experts and scholars concerning the authentication of a painting or a drawing by a particular artist

But it's forensics and science that is irrefutable in the long run.

Forensic examination and analysis can indeed expose the flaws and mistakes that the fakers make.

And trust me, make them they do.

So if you are seeking help and advice from experts who uniquely specialise in the authentication of art, you need look no further.

F O R E N S I C   I M AG I N G

Modiglianni fake by Elmyr de Hory                                            The most famous of all the van Meegeren forgeries.

                                                                                                  The Disciples at Emmaus

At Freemanart, we can help investigate the authenticity of your oil paintings, watercolors, prints, sculptures and drawings, as well as authenticating historical documents and autographs and verifying artists signatures

See Forensic Document Analysis

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FTIR and MS 

What can science determine in art authentication procedures & what we look for when investigating the authenticity of art.

 Firstly, we look for evidence that can establish the age and determine an actual date range of execution of the art work we are investigating.

To this end, we look closely at the pigments themselves, identify them & date the material on which a picture is actually produced, ie: the ground. This may be paper, canvas, wood or metal.

Forensic UV image

 Microscopic & macroscopic investigation & evaluation is one place to begin the authentication process.

 What may also be revealed by using various light source analysis can be incredibly useful to us in investigating an art works authenticity.

The introduction of ultraviolet, infrared or x ray diagnostics & beyond, takes us iinto some very sophisticated science indeed in the process of art authentication.

 To this end, Freemanart work at the cutting edge of science and technology, beyond utilizing standard chemistry processes and micro analysis.

We also utilise Spontaneous Raman Spectroscopy, Radio Carbon Dating & lead white dating technology.

 Raman Spectroscopy is a non evasive or damaging process and assists specifically in the dating and specification of pigments, inks, materials and also the bindings in paper. Effectively this can indicate age and therefore often defines a work of arts date range and the concept of possible authenticity.

More details about Forensics are covered further on.

          Scientific processes and methods used in art authentication:

Revealing   signature   traces.

Here, you can just make out the pale outline of a

lost signature unwittingly removed by over cleaning

a work of art. [Computer enhancement].

Freemanart conduct all client investigation projects and processes in balanced stages:

Stage One:

 Firstly, with any investigation of authenticity we always make an initial professional, academic  assessment for clients to establish the viability of the project ahead.

This is the Pre Authentication Assessment: (Fee Payable.) See FAQ's)

From the outset, clients will need to know:

1- The possible value of a piece if it is legitimate and authentic.

2- The viability of such an art authentication investigation into authenticity to be pursued.

3- The processes required and necessary towards achieving a result as any investigation of authenticity naturally can go either way.

That is irrespective of your own confidence in associated family stories, various claims, supportive paperwork  or certificates of authenticity.

Stage Two:

 Having conducted the initial art authentication processes by the nature of a pre authen tication assessment and established reasonable viability, we are now at stage two.

This concerns dedicated professional, in depth academic studies of the work of art, consisting of detailed and highly specific research, provenance investigation, archival study and possibly scientific and forensic procedures to support an authentication case.

Such services, naturally, are fee payable as they are time, expenses & materials based. (See FAQ's) With all our investigation work set against advanced retainers, this is much the same way as an attorney or lawyer  functions.

 Alongside our academic procedures, Freemanart work with up to the minute FORENSIC techniques which may include spectral, optical & chemical analysis, computer diagnostics, forensic handwriting investigation & other practical and comparative analysis in order to establish an art works credibility and authenticity.

Each and every case is obviously utterly different. Each one requiring entirely different lengths of time to conduct and each art work investigation taking hugely contrasting and varied routes which may prove or disprove an authentication issue.

Frankly, we have as many clients trying to prove that a work of art is illegitimate as those who are wanting to prove it is authentic! 

Particularly those litigating, such as our clients in the legal profession or the insurance industry.

 Similarly, we have clients wanting to pursue a full authentication with a view to selling their property or to safeguard future family distribution through the credibility of unquestionable attribution and authentication.

  Researching highly effectively & multi lingually from our offices in , the UK, Germany, CanadaItaly, France and Spain, we source, archive and research from many different bases.

This massively broadens the spectrum of our research capability.

When you put together, the multi - lingual academic research & investigative capabilities of the Freemanart team, alongside Forensics and Science, the result is a combination designed to get you the answers.

 British School authentication investigations.

Armfield ?

Piranessi

Authentication

Bouvard authentication investigation

Authentication of a Gainsborough oil

"As soon as any new form of collecting begins, then along come the fakers!"

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 Purportedly, the oil painting shown above was a fully authenticated oil painting painted by Professor. Amos Cassioli. Titled: 'Paolo and Francesca'  better known as: 'The Kiss' surfacing recently in Canada.

  For us, it was either the Italian Cassioli's second version of a similar work of art or a very serious art fake and fraud.

It's in fact is the latter. A fake painting and illicitly signed copy, suggesting a major art fraud was committed at a very high level, sometime before 1920!

"Contrary to other forms of fraud, art fraud has its own peculiar feature.

The victim is a victim but may not know it!"

R E Kendall: Secretary General of

Interpol International

Geneva Bible: Rare Book authentication and research

Freemanart specialise in the identification of counterfeit works of art & advise clients - BEFORE and AFTER purchase

Authentication of Violins:

We see hundreds of Antonius Stradivarius, Guarneri and Amati  type violins annually. We also examine many high quality Small-Shop instruments & some exceptional Luthier built violins and cellos such as.

ANNIBALE FAGNOLA - MONTIGLIO MONFERRATO  - Camillo Camilli Vincenzo Ruggieri  - Giuseppe Rocca - Giuseppe Testore  - SANTO SERAPHIN Giovanni Francesco  Pressenda PIETRO GUARNERI OF MANTUA - GUADAGNINI GIOVANNI BATTISTA - Richard Duke CARLO TANEGIA - GIOVANNI GRANCINI, Tononi, Landolphi, Farotti - Degani - Taurini - Figarini - Micelli, et al

   With many, many successes to our credit over the years, Freemanart recommends that 'preventative investigation' is the best way forward with any fine art investment or acquisition.

Preferably well before any purchase is made.

  Considering the general consensus of expert opinion is that between 25% and 40% of all works of art are either fakes or altered in some way to increase their value, there is little else to say.

 Obviously, we can not guarantee the outcome of any investigation for clients. As the results below will show, many works of art in fact turn out to be illegitimate - counterfeit or are wrongly attributed. Others legitimate. Either way, we get to the truth.

Frankly, no matter how you put the phrase 'art authentication' to us and wherever you are in the world, be it;

 "Art authentification, Autenticación de arte, Authentification d'art, Kunstbeglaubigung, Autenticazione di arte, Kunst Echtverklaring, Autenticação de arte, Kunst Bekreftelse, Художественное Установление подлинности, 芸術証明, فن بيكاسو التوثيق, Umjetnost sigurnost, Πικάσο τέχνης γνησιότητας, Sztuki uwierzytelniania, Pikado art pristnosti, Sanat doğrulama, Пікассо мистецтво аутентифікації , Konst autentisering, Kuns geldigheidsvasstelling or Hunar authentication. "

We can help you.

Completed  Investigations:

Regretably, due to the prohibitively large number of antiques we also research and evaluate, we cannot list them all.

A full list of completed Art Authentication investigations may be viewed HERE

Freemanart support

ArtFake.net

Cleaning up the Art world

© Copyright 2010 Freemanart Fine Art Consultants

Photos Courtesy Jackie Freeman Specialist Photography, Cornwall - England.

SPECIALIST AUTHENTICATION INFORMATION BY ARTIST & GENRE LINKS

PIET MONDRIAAN ART AUTHENTICATION

HENRI MATISSE AUTHENTICATION

PIET MONDRIAAN AUTHENTICATION

VINCENT VAN GOGH ART AUTHENTICATION

SALVADOR DALI ART AUTHENTICATION

BRITISH ART AUTHENTICATION

The  GAUGUIN  INDEX  OF  PAINTINGS      -      BEYOND WILDENSTEIN

1871-1884 | 1885- 1888 |  1889 - 1890 | 1891 - 1893 | 1894 - 1896 | 1897 - 1899 | 1900 - 1903

 On this page we have extensively covered art authentication and research projects and  the Art Authentication Services: Including Fine Art Investigation and Art History Research Services,  Art & Artwork investigations / Forensic and Academic analysis and authenticity research projects  conducted by the Freemanart Consultancy who have bases in England, Europe, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada and the USA.