As a collector, you might be wondering how to find the value of artwork. This question is equally important when buying and selling art pieces. As the process of artwork appraisal is a complicated one, there are experts who specialize in that area. Properly determining the worth of an artwork takes a lot of knowledge and experience, and professional art appraisers do quite a bit of research to derive the true price of the piece. Let’s look at some of the things art evaluators pay attention to.
How Art Appraisers Find the Value of Artwork
Is the artwork authentic?
Unfortunately, art forgery is common. There are even people who have made it their life’s work to perfectly copy the style of the original artist and the materials they used. Making sure the piece is authentic is one of the first steps every fine art expert takes to find the value of artwork. To pinpoint any inconsistencies and expose lies, they have to be extremely knowledgeable in art history and art techniques.
Is the artist well-known?
This is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about valuable art pieces. Works by artists who have already made a name for themselves across the globe will most likely be evaluated higher than works by someone who is only starting their art career. It is easier to estimate the price of a piece when the artist has already had a sales record. However, certain new pieces can also grow in value with time, and a professional art critic can spot a rising star whose work will likely rise in price in the future.
Is the artwork in good condition?
Condition of the piece is, undoubtedly, very important. For example, if the painting has darkened, there are cracks and areas of craquelure, or part of the image is missing, it can significantly lower the value of the piece. Along with that, the cost of artwork might be affected by the involvement of restoration services as well. In other words, the greater the amount of restoration works, the higher the possibility artwork’s value will decrease.
Overall, the art market can be very unpredictable. While some works are undoubtedly timeless and will always find their appreciators, others can suffer a decrease in value simply because the demand for them has cooled down. To find the value of artwork, it is important to be well-informed about tendencies and trends.