Painting

Four factors dominate: attribution, condition, provenance and rarity. An attribution confirmed by an OIMAP certificate can double the price compared with the same work "attributed to". A painting in good condition, without heavy restoration, sells markedly better.

Provenance plays a growing role: a painting that belonged to a famous collection or was shown in a major retrospective benefits from a premium, while patchy provenance brings a discount.

Finally, rarity is assessed at the level of the artist: a master almost all of whose works are in museums sees the few works still in private hands reach very high prices.

For most collectors, painting is the entry point into the market. It offers a great diversity of prices: from a few hundred euros for a work on paper to several tens of millions for a masterpiece. This diversity explains why the segment attracts amateurs, institutions and investors alike.

Museums are important players in the segment, sometimes buyers, sometimes lenders. Their acquisitions take works off the market for good, which sustains the rarity of old masters and supports the prices of those that remain available.