Is it original? Three things to look at before you fall in love

You do not need a trained eye to know whether a work of art is original. You need to know where it comes from. An original is simply a work whose story can be checked, and checking it takes three questions.

1. Who answers for it?

The artist, or the gallery that represents the artist. A work bought from either comes with someone who signs for it. A work that arrives through three intermediaries and a good story deserves a few more questions.

2. What paper comes with it?

A certificate of authenticity that names the work without ambiguity: title, year, medium, dimensions, an image, and the signatures of the people who answer for it. It should exist before the sale, not "later". The gallery's invoice belongs next to it.

3. Can a stranger check it?

This is the modern part. A good certificate can be verified by someone who trusts nobody involved. Ours carry a QR that opens a public page with the work, the artist and the signatures; you can try it at verify a certificate.

Editions are originals too

Prints and editions are about one in ten of the sold works in the market index we keep, and they are original when the artist authorised and numbered them. The certificate should say the number and the size of the edition. A printed reproduction of a painting, however lovely, is a poster.

Answers to be careful with

"I will send the certificate later."

"The signature on the canvas is enough."

"It has no papers because it is old." It may be true; then the price should say so, and an independent opinion helps.

Two small questions

Does a certificate guarantee what the work is worth?

No. It guarantees who made it and where it has been. Value is decided by time, exhibitions and the market.

Can you check a work I bought elsewhere?

We can verify the works that carry our certificates. For others, ask the gallery that sold it how they verify. How they answer tells you a lot.

If you would like company

This is what we do every day from Mexico City: help people find, buy and live with original contemporary art. Book a free 30-minute call, or simply look at the works available now.

Image: “Castillo Desdén” by Juanna Pedro.