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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Certification

File to provide

Complete list of documents, photographs and information to attach to an application for a certificate of authenticity.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

A complete file saves weeks

Portrait of a Woman, Corneille de Lyon (c. 1540)
Portrait of a Woman, Corneille de Lyon (c. 1540)

The quality of the file determines the speed of processing. A complete file is declared admissible in five days; an incomplete file moves to “additional documents requested” and the timeframe is suspended.

This page lists the documents to attach, the characteristics of the photographs and the information to provide. Needs vary with the nature of the work; a table summarises the specifics of each category.

All documents are uploaded online, in PDF or JPEG format, with a maximum size of 20 MB per file.

  • Identity
  • Ownership
  • Photographs
  • History

The file in figures

4families of documents
8minimum photographic views
20 MBper file
15 daysto reply to a request for additional documents

Identity and right-to-act documents

Mandatory photographs

The eight minimum views
ViewDetails
FrontWhole work, straight framing, diffuse light, colour chart if possible
BackWhole work, labels, stamps, inventory numbers
SignatureSharp close-up, with graduated ruler
DetailsAt least three zones representative of the workmanship
Profile and edgeThickness, marks, inscriptions
Raking lightReveals reliefs and restorations
Frame or baseOld inscriptions and labels
ScaleView with reference object
Carnet (1863–1865)
Carnet (1863–1865)
Portrait of Isabella Brant, Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1620–25)
Portrait of Isabella Brant, Peter Paul Rubens (c. 1620–25)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)

Describing the work precisely

The description form asks for: artist or attribution, title, date, technique and support, dimensions (without and with frame), weight for sculptures, signatures and inscriptions, known restorations.

A precise description lets the expert prepare the examination and choose the useful analyses. Also state any doubt: a declared doubt is never a ground for refusal, a hidden doubt can become one.

Photographer's tip

Special documents by category

Specifics by category
CategoryAdditional documents
PaintingPhotograph of the stretcher and marks on the back; mention of any relining
SculptureWeight, founder's mark, edition number, patina
Print and drawingWatermark, state of the proof, dimensions of the sheet and the plate
FurnitureViews of the joints, drawers and stamps
Tribal artsEthnic origin, ritual use, collection, export certificates

Putting the file together in five steps

  1. Gather

    Find invoices, correspondence, catalogues, previous expert reports.

  2. Photograph

    Take the eight mandatory views following the guidelines.

  3. Describe

    Complete the work description form.

  4. Upload

    Attach the files at the Desk, naming each document clearly.

  5. Validate

    Reread, sign the declaration on honour and pay the deposit.

Minimal file or complete file

Portrait of a Man, Louis Lafitte (1793)

Minimal file

What suffices for admissibility
  • Identity and right to act
  • Eight photographic views
  • Description of the work

Admissible, but the expert will often ask for additional documents.

The Triumph of Mordecai, Lucas van Leyden (1515)

Complete file

What speeds up the expert assessment
  • Previous expert reports and catalogues
  • Historical correspondence and invoices
  • Archive photographs

Average gain of two to three weeks.

Documents most often missing in 2024

Proof of ownership38%
Photograph of the back24%
Mandate16%
Dimensions13%
Others9%

Source: Certification Department (indicative).

The Brook, Paul Cezanne (c. 1895–1900)
The Brook, Paul Cezanne (c. 1895–1900)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Seal Color Box (1662–1722)
Portrait of a Woman, Gerard ter Borch (c. 1665)
Portrait of a Woman, Gerard ter Borch (c. 1665)

Case study: the inheritance without an invoice

Replacing a missing invoice

Situation

An heiress submits a case for a painting acquired by her grandfather, with no invoice at all.

Actions
  1. She attaches the succession deed and the post-death inventories.
  2. She adds family photographs showing the painting in the drawing room.
  3. She provides a statement from a neighbour who knew it.
Outcome

The Desk accepts these documents as the equivalent of proof of acquisition.

Templates and forms

Vocabulary of the file

Additional documents requested
Status indicating that a document is missing.
Relining
Backing of an old canvas with a new canvas.
Watermark
Mark visible by transparency in the paper.
Stamp
Cabinetmaker's mark on a piece of furniture.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send the documents by post?

Documents are submitted online. Originals are requested only in case of doubt.

Are documents kept?

Yes, in the Registry, for the whole life of the work, confidentially.

What if I have no proof of ownership at all?

Provide any equivalent: succession, photographs, testimonies. The Desk assesses everything as a whole.

Can I complete the file after submission?

Yes, until the expert is appointed, from your area.

Contacts

Nowshera, Kashmir (number 1000), Samuel Bourne (1864)
Nowshera, Kashmir (number 1000), Samuel Bourne (1864)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Submit the file

The Departure of Saints Paula and Eustochium for the Holy Land, Giuseppe Bottani

Is your file ready? Submit it online.

Submit a case
Image credits (15)
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