Before Purchasing Art Ask These 5 Questions
Whether you collect art for pleasure, investment or both, you should always research any artwork you’re considering to understand its condition before making a purchase. Before your next acquisition, answer the following five questions:
1. How is the work made?
Is the object made of archival materials? Will it survive 50 years from now? 100 years? How about 500 years? Well-crafted oil paintings have been known to survive intact for as much as 500 years, while poorly crafted ones can fall apart in a decade.
When it comes to paintings, one crucial factor is the quality of the paint used. Professional quality paint is far more expensive than student grade paint, but it can make the difference in whether or not your painting will become a family heirloom.
3 Common Problems with Paintings
- Fading – the paint color dulls over time
- Delamination – the paint peels off the support (like canvas or wood) or off previous layers of paint
- Cracking – cracks develop on the surface of the paint
Although the craft of painting is taught in colleges and universities, you may be surprised to learn that painters don’t always know or care how to use their materials to create a stable work of art.
2. How much of the piece has been restored?
An estimated 20 percent of the art displayed in a museum is a combination of the original artist and the work of fine art conservators. This makes sense for objects that are hundreds or even thousands of years old.
When considering a work of art for your collection, be sure all conservation work is fully disclosed and the object’s price reflects this condition.
3. Is the work a marriage?
This is a major concern for period furniture, classic cars, silver, and objects of vertu. It is not unusual for these objects, which were in daily use, to have replacement parts substituting original ones. These replacement parts should be disclosed and the price should reflect the changes from its original condition.
4. Does the work have inherent vice?
Inherent vice refers to the presence of physical elements that were never meant to have sustained long-term use and function. Consider the following examples of inherent vice:
- Collage incorporating newspaper or masking tape
- Sculpture made from cellulose acetate
- Mid-century design chair filled with polyurethane foam
Contemporary art has risk built into its DNA. Over time many materials will change in appearance and not survive into the future. Understanding a work’s inherent vice is a critical ste[ when purchasing a work of art.
5. Is the work actively degrading?
It is widely understood that textile dyes are susceptible to light damage. Yet only recently has the fine art community realized that the paint pigments used by the Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and the Early Modernists including Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso are also extremely light sensitive.
If you’re considering a work of art made from 1880 – 1930, examine the state of the paint pigments and understand the parameters required to display the piece properly to minimize further light damage.
Answering these 5 questions gives you the freedom to fall in love with a work of art after knowing all its specific idiosyncrasies, giving you the confidence to make an informed decision.