What Is “Factory Art”? A Quick Guide to Mass-Produced Paintings
Facebook-f Linkedin You’ve seen them before – vintage, serene oil-on-canvas paintings of generic scenes: sandy dunes with seagulls, crashing waves with seagulls, a sailboat at sea (again with seagulls), a harbor scene, a country landscape with every landmark imaginable (a stream, fluffy trees, an old cottage, an old truck, a small waterfall), with majestic mountains […]
Complexities of Provenance: Klimt’s Portrait Sale Unravels Over Unresolved Restitution Claims
Facebook-f Linkedin If you’ve been following the high-profile sale of Klimt’s Portrait of Fräulein Lieser, here’s the update: the $37 million deal has fallen through. Previously known only from a 1925 black-and-white photograph, the painting was revealed to the public and announced for future sale in early 2024. It was subsequently sold at auction in […]
The One That Got Away: The Regret of Not Buying
Facebook-f Linkedin Every collector, art enthusiast, and antique hunter has a story about the one that got away. A painting you hesitated on, a piece of furniture you wanted to “think about,” or an artifact you told yourself you’d come back for—only to find it gone when you returned. This unique form of buyer’s regret—the […]
Meet Elizabeth
Facebook-f Linkedin Trusted Expert in Personal Property Appraisal Elizabeth is a trusted expert generalist personal property appraiser, with deep specialization in estate appraisals, large collection valuations, and strategic advisory services for acquisition and deaccession. As the owner of Artrium Appraisal and Consulting, she provides professional, objective appraisals for all purposes, including estate planning, settlement, charitable […]
Lifetime or Later? Dating Bronze Sculptures
Facebook-f Linkedin Bronze sculptures have long captivated collectors, celebrated for their blend of artistic mastery and durability. However, the identity of a bronze is not always obvious to the untrained eye. Properly identifying and dating a bronze sculpture accurately is a key component of determining its value and authenticity. One artist whose work provides an […]
Are Appraisals Tax-Deductible? What You Need to Know
Facebook-f Linkedin Are Appraisals Tax-Deductible? Here’s What You Need to Know If you’ve ever wondered whether the cost of an appraisal is tax-deductible, the answer is: often, it can be! While appraisals for personal reasons typically don’t qualify, many situations allow the fees to be deducted on your tax return. Let’s break it down. When Appraisal […]
The Art of Cataloging: The Beauty of a Comprehensive Catalog Raissone
Facebook-f Linkedin Many people may not realize that you can’t just Google an artist to see all of their known artworks—especially when it comes to artists from the 20th century and earlier. Artworks are often tucked away in private collections, unrecorded, or even undiscovered. That’s where a catalogue raisonné comes in. A catalogue raisonné is […]
How to Prepare for an Estate Appraisal: A Step-by-Step Guide
Facebook-f Linkedin If you’ve recently inherited an estate or are managing the estate of a loved one, you might be feeling overwhelmed by the task of sorting through and valuing the property. An estate appraisal is an essential step in this process, providing you with an accurate assessment of the value of the items within […]
The $150 Million Caravaggio Rediscovery That Almost Slipped Away
Facebook-f Linkedin Caravaggio, Ecce homo (1604-05), after restoration. Courtesy private collection. Return to Spotlight The recent rediscovery of a lost masterpiece by the Baroque master Caravaggio reads like a script taken from the pages of an adventure film. The premise: a painting, long believed to be the work of another artist, languishes in obscurity, until a group […]
America’s Artistic Awakening: The Hudson River School
Facebook-f Linkedin Adjusting to a New World In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, American high society, plagued by a cultural inferiority complex, sought to enhance their identities through the artistic treasures of Europe. Fearing the New World was devoid of culture, intellectuals and art connoisseurs imported what they understood to be European masterpieces, […]