Cleveland Museum of Art · CC0 1.0Understanding a subject in depth
The files offer a structured reading of the major issues in the art and heritage market. They bring together facts, reference texts, examples and links to services.
Each file is written by the directorate concerned, reviewed by the legal department and updated as events develop.
Thematic files in figures
Source: OIMAP General Secretariat.
Provenance
Provenance is the history of a work's successive owners. It has become a central criterion for the value and legality of a transaction. The file explains which documents to keep and how to have them certified.
It refers to the certification service and to the mission Certify.
Restitutions
The file on restitutions describes the procedure followed, from reporting to handing over the work. It recalls the legal framework of the 1970 UNESCO and 1995 UNIDROIT conventions, as well as the position of the good-faith purchaser.
In 2024, 847 works were returned. The file presents a few anonymised cases to illustrate the diversity of situations.
Digital technology
Digital certification, launched in 2021, makes it possible to verify a document online in a few seconds. The file explains the OIMAP number, the QR code and the work passport.
It also addresses data security and the precautions to take when sharing a certificate.
Training of officials
Customs, police and heritage administration officials are at the heart of the system. This file presents the OIMAP Academy curricula and the 8,940 officials trained to date.
It details the registration procedures and the role of the Member States in funding the sessions.
Available files
| File | Directorate | Audience |
|---|---|---|
| Provenance | Certification | Collectors, galleries |
| Returns | Protection | States, museums |
| Digital | Certification | General public |
| Training | OIMAP Academy | Public officials |
| Market | Market and Studies | Researchers, press |
Milestones
- Provenance file
First file published (indicative).
- Directives
Update of the files.
- Digital file
Launch of digital certification.
- Returns
Review of 847 works.
Continuous updating
File or thematic page
File
Overview- Several related subjects
- Examples
- Useful links
Broad context.
Thematic page
Specific information- A procedure
- A service
- A rule
Direct answer.
Using a file
- Choose the theme
Provenance, restitutions…
- Read the synthesis
Facts and texts.
- Follow the links
Services concerned.
- Contact
If needed.
Checkpoints
A curator
« The file on provenance served as a basis for training my team in good documentation practices. »
Glossary
- Provenance
- History of a work's owners.
- Restitution
- Return of a property to its rightful owner.
- Traceability
- Ability to trace a work's history.
- Good faith
- Legitimate ignorance of the unlawful origin of a property.
Suggest a file
Is a subject missing? Readers can suggest a theme via the contact form. The editorial committee reviews suggestions every quarter.
Files that are taken on are assigned to a directorate and follow the same validation process as other publications.
Frequently asked questions
Are the files legal documents?
They inform but do not replace legal advice.
Can they be downloaded?
Yes, as PDF.
Who writes them?
The directorates of the General Secretariat.
How do I suggest a theme?
Via the form.
Useful documents
Contacts
Related pages
OIMAP NewsNews, thematic files and press review: follow the news of the Organisation and of the market.›
Latest newsRecent OIMAP announcements: decisions, operations, publications and institutional meetings.›
Press reviewSelection of press articles about OIMAP and the art market, with the selection policy.›
CertificationAuthenticating, tracing and protecting a work: all the certificates, titles, licences and labels issued by OIMAP.›
Suggest a theme
Image credits (17)
- Panel (c. 1780–1840) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Marie-Yolande de Fitz-James, Henri Fantin-Latour (1867) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Portrait of a Man, Gustave Caillebotte (1880) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Marble head of a youth (117–161 CE) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Four Seasons, Kano Tan’yū (1668) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Châteauvieux-sur-Suran, Antoine-Claude Ponthus-Cinier (1848) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Edge of the Woods Near L'Hermitage, Pontoise, Camille Pissarro (1879) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Nymphs and a Satyr (Amor Vincit Omnia), Nicolas Poussin (c. 1625–27) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Gathering among the Members of Office Censor-General (1700s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Head (1200s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Saint Jerome and the Lion (From the former Church of St. Peter in Erfurt), Tilman Riemenschneider (c. 1495) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- The Grotto of Posillipo, Hubert Robert (c. 1769) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Towel End (c 1700s- 1800s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Corner Cabinet, René Dubois (c. 1765–1770) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Interior of a Synagogue, Alessandro Magnasco (c. 1725–35) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Plaque (1500s–1600s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0
- Temple of Athene Nike. Venus Victrix—Wingless Victory, Dimitrios Constantin (c. 1850s–60s) — Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 1.0