More Than Meets The Eye

This article was written by James Ratcliffe, now of The Art Loss Register, formerly of BDB.

Most of those who acquire works of art are happy to enjoy them for their aesthetic value. However, beyond that visual appeal there can lie hidden histories that may add interest and value, or cause all kinds of trouble.

As a result the owners of many collections, whether held in trust or in private hands, are starting to take increasingly seriously the question of researching the provenance, or ownership history, of the artworks they already hold, just as much as their acquisitions.

On the plus side, researching the provenance of artworks can provide support for authenticity, or valuable links to historic figures. On the other hand, at the Art Loss Register we work with trusts and private or corporate collections to review provenance in order to identify whether there are any issues that need to be addressed.