Can Paintings by Unknown Artists Be Valuable?

A Van Gogh or a Caravaggio are the kind of paintings anyone wishes to find in their attic. But you could still fetch a tidy sum from your great-great grandfather’s collection, even when they were unrecognized in the art world. 

Here are several tips from Body corp painters in Brisbane to determine if paintings from unrecognized artists are valuable.

Lack of Signature Doesn’t Mean the Painting is Invaluable

A missing signature doesn’t inherently mean that a painting is worthless. Mona Lisa doesn’t have an official signature, and it is very far from what you can call worthless. Among the various reasons that a painting may be unsigned include the fact that the artist never intended it for sale at the time. Maybe it was for a personal array. Notably, the person who commissioned the work may have requested that the artist not sign. Whatever the case, an investigation by a qualified appraiser can separate the wheat from the chaff and tell you how much the painting is worth. 

What to Do With A Painting When You Find it

A painting may not necessarily be from Da Vinci or another top artist to indicate it’s not valuable. Please don’t meddle with it. Touch-ups and cleaning will devalue the painting faster than you can imagine, and something that would have made your life better becomes valueless.

Please ensure you don’t remove the painting from its frame. 

Determine the Kind of Painting You Have

The first step to figuring out the value of the painting is to determine whether it’s watercolor, oil painting, or just a print. Do you see visibly textured brushstrokes? A print may try to copy the brush strokes, but you can almost always tell by their evenness. 

If it’s watercolor, investigate whether it’s a print or an authentic painting. Use a magnifying glass to check for spots, gradations, and highlights. 

Blemishes such as scratch spots will tell you that the artist who did the painting did it manually. 

An appraiser can give you a hand if you still have trouble identifying the painting. 

Quality of the Frame

The age and quality of antique frames can shoot the painting price to the roof. But how do you know the antique frame is worth a small sack? 

Well, is it ornate and cumbersome? Modern reproductions use newer technology and tools, so the frame tends to be lighter. You could be having a gilt Louis XIV frame that can fetch hundreds of thousands on your hands. 

Paperwork

Throughout history, there have been records of art sales. Rummaging the receipts, ownership records, and following the paper trail can lead you to the source. The documentation makes the process so much easier. 

Please assemble all the pieces of documents you can lay your hands on and take them to the appraiser. 

Check for Details at the Back

The majority of paintings will have details such as the artist’s name, the price, the seller, or the name of the gallery or museum. 

Research the artist’s name online and see what their other paintings are worth. You may find that the paintings are worth a life-changing sum. 

The framer or gallery labels will point you in the right direction if present. Contact them if possible and learn more about the piece you hold. 

Laboratory Tests

Lab tests may not point to the artist that did the painting, but they can help determine the date and the materials used.

A lab can tell the ceramic used, plate, paint pigments, and other small details. For essential information beneath, such as an abandoned painting project, x-rays are invaluable.

Demand 

A print of a Van Gogh painting will fetch more than an original painting by an unknown artist, but that shouldn’t discourage you from trying. Specialty prints and paintings of historical events such as Alexander the Great’s conquests may generate good interest. 

The case applies to prints of flowers, royalty, horses, and other high-demand subjects. Dig a bit to know the subjects that are most interesting for people. Learn if there are limited editions of paintings on the subject. Limited edition paintings are worth tons. 

We’re not all experts in art matters, but that doesn’t mean you should discard every painting piece you come across. The stars may have aligned in your favor, and an unknown artist’s painting may make you an instant millionaire. If necessary, hire the services of an appraiser, and you’ll be sure whether what you’re holding is a piece of glass or diamond in the rough.