THE   FREEMANART   CONSULTANCY

EXPERT IN THE FINE ART OF AUTHENTICATION

ART  AUTHENTICATION

The INVESTIGATION & AUTHENTICATION OF ART

ART AUTHENTICATION PAGE

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 The investigation & pursuit of art authentication which typically includes paintings and works of art of all types and from all areas, genres, schools & periods of fine art, are professional procedures that the Freemanart Consultancy undertake for clients around the world on a daily basis.

FREEMANART ARE EXPERT IN THE FINE ART OF AUTHENTICATION

 All our professional art authentication procedures and in depth investigations are effected through both academic & forensic applications and by conducting exhaustive art authentication investigations set alongside detailed, international archival research and analysis into the authenticity & legitimacy of clients art, their fine art acquisitions and their art collections.

 Working from our international bases & forensic laboratories in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and North America, expert art authentication investigations from Picasso & Miro through to the art of the Old Masters, are conducted by leading experts in the Fine Art of Authentication - Freemanart

This page covers the professional Art Authentication Services including; Fine Art Authentication Investigations - Art Authenticity Research Services - Art and Artwork Authentication Investigation procedures  - The Forensic and Academic Analysis of Art & Artwork. Plus the professional procedures necessary for the authentication of drawings, prints, paintings and art authenticity research & investigation projects conducted by Freemanart.

ART AUTHENTICATION

Why is the authentication of fine art necessary ?

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

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

 Art authentication procedures are vital measures in the detection and prosecution of art forgery & enables us to sustain the ethic of honesty in society.

Art authentication therefore both upholds the social & financial value of art, thus preserving the quality of aesthetics.

SCHOOL OF REMBRANDT?     

ART AUTHENTICATION

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 to artists of all nationalities.

Freemanart's art authentication section sets out to explain the various art Forensic and Academic art authentication procedures & types of art authentication and attribution projects and investigations we at Freemanart conduct and undertake for clients internationally and the matters of proving or disproving the authenticity of art and qualifying authorship and art attribution issues across the world.

ART AUTHENTICATION

ART FRAUD - SCAMS - PONZI  SCHEMES  &  ART  FORGERY

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

Neither is looking in a book!

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

Art Authentication is a finely tuned art in itself which is why thousands turn to Freemanart for professional help with art authentication matters.

 Specifically, art authentication must be proven beyond doubt, both academically & forensically, just as in a case placed before a court of law for its judgement.

It must be sound and professionally conducted to the highest quality,

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

*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 art authentication, authenticity nor legitimacy of art.

 Many art appraisers neither have the practical capacity, are situated in the best geographical locality or have the logistical ability or indeed the subjective experience, requisite recognised qualification and the overall facility in the main to conduct art authentication procedures to the best and most thorough levels for their clients.

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

Be cautious of that fact.

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  There are still many, many fake paintings and drawings which have been previously introduced into the art world and still are being.

And at an alarming rate too.

Remember 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.

 Essentially, the provenance and history accompanying an art work, drawing or painting needs to be thoroughly investigated &  proven to be legitimate for it to be taken responsibly internationally.

Add to the equation the vast number of small time crooks and swindlers passing off mediocre & re signed paintings & drawings through internet sites and questionable auctioneers, passing them off as authentic to gullible dreamers and the subject of art 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, which 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 art 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.

ART AUTHENTICATION

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 investigate the authenticity of your oil paintings, watercolors, prints, sculptures and drawings, as well as investigating and authenticating historical documents and autographs and verifying artists signatures

See Forensic Document Analysis

ART AUTHENTICATION

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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 with art authentication, we look for physical 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, analyse and identify them & date the material on which a picture is actually produced, ie: the ground. This may vary and be paper, canvas, wood or metal.

Forensic UV image

 Microscopic & macroscopic investigation & evaluation is one place to begin the art 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 into some very sophisticated science indeed in the process of art authentication.

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

With art authentication, 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.

ART AUTHENTICATION &

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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 art authentication investigation projects and processes in considered & firmly balanced stages:

Stage One:

THE VITAL PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT FOR ART AUTHENTICATION PROJECTS >

 Firstly, with any investigation into art authentication or matters of art authenticity questions, we always make an initial, preliminary professional, academic  assessment for clients to establish the actual realities and viability of the project ahead.

This is called 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 were legitimate and proven authentic. Is it actually worth it?

2- The viability that such an art authentication investigation ie into the art works authenticity should be pursued.

3- The processes required and necessary towards achieving a result, as any investigation of art 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 authentication assessment and established reasonable viability for the client, we are now at stage two.

This period 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 art authentication case.

Such services, naturally, are fee payable as they are time, expenses & materials based. (See FAQ's)

All our art authentication investigation work is set and funded against advanced retainers, in 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 art 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 art is actually 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 art authentication investigation with a view to selling their property or to safeguard any future family distribution through the credibility of unquestionable attribution and authentication.

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

This massively broadens the spectrum of our Research capability.

ART AUTHENTICATION
 

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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 ^ CASE STUDY: 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 art authentication project 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 art authentication 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 ART AUTHENTICATION PROJECT INFORMATION BY ARTIST & GENRE LINKS

PIET MONDRIAAN ART AUTHENTICATION

HENRI MATISSE ART AUTHENTICATION

PIET MONDRIAAN ART 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.