Painting

Old masters, before 1800, form a market of rarity: few works, many buyers, extreme attention paid to attribution. The 19th century is a market of quality and condition, where the emotion of the subject counts as much as the artist's name. Modern painting is a market of signature and series, very active and very exposed to fakes.

Understanding which world you are in tells you which document to ask for: a certificate of authenticity for old masters, a conservation report for the 19th century, a certificate of provenance for modern painting.

Painting is the most certified segment: 4,120 certificates of authenticity were issued for it in 2024, nearly half of the total. The financial stakes are high, attributions sometimes debated, and counterfeits numerous.

The certificate rests on a visual examination, an analysis of materials and documentary research. It may conclude to authenticity, to an attribution to the workshop, the school or a follower, or refuse the attribution.

For many artists, the catalogue raisonné is authoritative: if it does not mention a work, that work has little chance of being accepted on the market. These works are compiled by historians, sometimes with the participation of rights holders.

OIMAP keeps a directory of recognised catalogues raisonnés and artist committees. Accredited experts refer to it systematically, and any disagreement with a committee is recorded in the reasoned opinion.