Provenance: why an artwork's history matters
How ownership records and documents add value.
Pricing & value
Provenance is the documented chain of ownership from the artist to today.
Receipts, gallery labels, exhibition catalogs, letters and certificates of authenticity all help.
Gaps in provenance can lower value or raise questions about authenticity and legal title.
Related guides
- How to price your artwork
- What is my painting worth?
- How art appraisal works
- Original painting or print? How to tell