Identifying Forged Artist Signatures

Forged Artist Signatures

Artist signatures are often forged to increase the worth of artwork. This can include paintings, sculptures, and even designs like a wine bottle label designed by Andy Warhol. Online art auctions have increased in popularity, making it easier for people to sell forged signatures - which increases risks. Document Examiners might be called to investigate if the signature is authentic.

A Brief History of Artist Signatures

Artist signatures were first seen in the Renaissance Period. After exiting a long era of artist guilds, individual recognition became popular. Artists began adding signatures to their works so other people could identify the creator. As usage increased, artists added different features like the complexity of the strokes to stand out from their peers - some even incorporated their signature into the work itself! For example, Albrecht Dürer's signature began as a full signature and morphed into an artistic icon that has been replicated and modified countless times over the years. At this stage in history, there are many thousands of artists' signatures on paintings, some real, some fake. Either way, iconic looks, and elevated value are the goals.

Signature Identification For Dating & Value Assessment

Artist signatures can help date artwork. For example, Picasso used to sign his work, including his middle name. Over time, he abandoned this middle initial in favor of an artistic signature that featured the initial removed; other artists have gone from signing the front of the canvas to only doing so on the back as time and vice-versa. This could require consulting with a Document Examiner who could tell you whether or not these changes had anything else about them stay consistent - such as quality - which might indicate whether or not it was real. There is the potential that it may cost you more money when buying art, but it's worth it because the value may be affected. Many people take an instinctive liking to paintings signed by famous artists because they already feel a connection to history. An assessment of the art makes buyers thoroughly enjoy the art with peace of mind.

Common Forms of Signature Forgery

We've discussed the types of forgery signatures, their history, and why people forge them. There are two general reasons people will use forged signatures. The first is because they want to make the piece seem more valuable. This can be achieved by forging an unsigned painting so that its worth exceeds what would ordinarily be placed on it. Similarly enough, but not as common, the owner might do this to make it appear more credible after purchasing an authentic painting with a minimal signature or none. Secondly, when somebody has malicious intent and aims to dupe buyers out of money. The forger might use one person's signature whom they know was active during their active time, so prospective buyers assume said artworks are authentic. These fakes frequently show up at auctions only to later prove phony via an appraisal process.

Roles A Document Examiner Takes On

Many professions work to identify forged signatures, and document examiners are one of them. As experts at detecting other false documents, they provide an added level of experience. Document examiners also contribute significantly when called expert witnesses- a great witness can make all the difference when identifying if signatures are authentic or not. There are many other positions document examiners take up. These professionals do not solely work in the realm of art, and it's worth noting that this profession doesn't only deal with just legal matters but those business oriented too.

Final Check

When purchasing a piece of art, you should always find an expert who can verify its authenticity. Hiring a document examiner for this task could prove advantageous because verifying authenticity could prevent disappointment or the possibility of significant monetary losses. You may want to avoid auction sites or places where people list items for sale that haven't been verified if you want peace of mind when making your purchase. Best practices involve finding something already that has authentic artist signatures - which makes it worth all the time in the world!