FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. DO YOU HAVE AN EXPERT IN MY AREA?

We have experts all over North America and Europe.

2. CAN YOU RECOMMEND AN EXPERT IN MY AREA?

We travel frequently to many states and countries and can easily arrange to meet you and examine your artwork.

3. WHAT KIND OF ARTWORK DO YOU AUTHENTICATE?

We authenticate paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and bronzes.

4. WHERE SHOULD I TAKE A PAINTING TO FIND OUT IF IT IS AUTHENTIC?

Please contact us by email (info@artexpertswebsite.com) to begin the authentication process.

5. DO YOU ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY?

Yes. Art Experts has over 23 years of experience issuing certificates of authenticity for paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, sculpture, and bronzes.

6. HOW LONG DOES THE AUTHENTICATION PROCESS TAKE?

It may take a week to a month, depending on the complexity of the case.

7. MY PAINTING IS BY AN UNKNOWN PAINTER. CAN YOU HELP ME?

We have a great deal of experience working on attributions, and may be able to crack the case.

8. CAN YOU ALSO DO APPRAISALS?

Yes, we are USPAP-certified appraisers whose appraisals are accepted for insurance, taxes, estates, legal, and other official purposes.

9. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I MUST SEE AN EXPERT OVERSEAS. IS THAT NECESSARY?

No. Our international team of art historians includes official experts for many artists.

10. DO AUCTION HOUSES, GALLERIES, AND PRIVATE BUYERS ACCEPT YOUR CERTIFICATES OF AUTHENTICITY?

Yes, we have an international reputation for integrity, accuracy, and scholarship. Many times, the reasoning and details in our report and certificate of authenticity are critical in helping to sell an artwork. We cannot, however, be responsible for the unpredictability of the auction market, galleries, or private buyers.

11. SHOULD I SEND MY PAINTING TO YOU?

No, we do not have the facilities to accommodate artwork sent to us. We would be pleased to examine your picture in person or work from your photographs. You must insure a valuable item like a painting or sculpture before shipping it anywhere; but it cannot be insured until we determine its authenticity.

12. WE HAVE NO PROVENANCE (HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP) FOR OUR PAINTING.

Our team has been researching provenances since 2002, in addition to providing art authentication services. We have undertaken systematic provenance research in cases involving complicated, international chains of ownership.

13. CAN’T I RESEARCH THE PROVENANCE MYSELF?

It is more efficient to have an objective, trained professional do it. Some of the information is intricate, not all of it is publicly available, and access to specialized libraries and archives is often necessary.

14. CAN YOU HELP ME SELL MY PAINTING, OR SELL IT FOR ME?

We will provide you with guidance and advice and put you in touch with a trusted and reliable art broker.

15. MY PAINTING IS NOT IN THE CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ. CAN YOU HELP ME?

Yes, new works are always being discovered; catalogues raisonnés are rarely complete or infallibly accurate.

16. WHAT ABOUT PIGMENT ANALYSIS OR INFRARED TECHNOLOGY FOR AUTHENTICATION?

These methods alone will not authenticate a painting. Pigment analysis can help determine age; infrared can reveal underdrawings or changes. But neither will confirm authorship or substitute for provenance and comparative analysis.

17. WHAT ARE YOUR CREDENTIALS?

We hold undergraduate and graduate degrees in art history from top institutions. Some of us have PhDs, and many have taught art history, worked as critics, or served as certified appraisers.

18. DO YOU AUTHENTICATE PAINTINGS WITH AI?

We use AI as one of several tools in our authentication process. However, AI alone cannot determine with 100% certainty whether a painting is authentic or not. It can only provide a probability, and the art market does not operate on probabilities — it requires certainty.

19. DO YOU USE AI?

Yes, we use AI every day. It's a bit like using an iPhone — a modern tool that assists us constantly. We rely on AI several times a day in our workflow.

20. HOW DOES AI HELP IN AUTHENTICATING PAINTINGS?

AI can rapidly search through vast amounts of information, saving us hours, days, or even weeks of manual work. It also performs complex calculations instantly, greatly enhancing our efficiency.

21. IS AI RELIABLE FOR ART AUTHENTICATION?

AI has its limitations. One of its known weaknesses is the tendency to produce errors — often referred to as "hallucinations." If you're familiar with AI tools, you've likely encountered these mistakes. They're easy to catch when you already know the correct information — but if you don’t, the error might go unnoticed. That’s why we always double-check and verify critical AI outputs.

22. ARE AI AUTHENTICATIONS BETTER THAN THOSE DONE BY ART HISTORIANS?

AI does not authenticate. It can only generate a probability, and training an AI to even reach that point is time-consuming and expensive. While AI authentications are not better in themselves, they enhance the report by providing additional information and data that can make the findings more compelling.

23. ARE AI AUTHENTICATIONS MORE EXPENSIVE?

No. In fact, because AI allows us to complete certain tasks faster, it reduces the overall cost of authentication. But again, AI does not authenticate — it provides estimates or probabilities that support the broader process.

24. HOW LONG DO AI-SUPPORTED AUTHENTICATIONS TAKE?

Since AI speeds up many tasks, the process typically takes about half as long as it did before we integrated AI.

25. ARE AI AUTHENTICATIONS RECOGNIZED BY MAJOR INSTITUTIONS?

No. They are not recognized by:

• Major auction houses
• Insurance companies
• The IRS
• Private collectors
• Museums and cultural institutions
• Law enforcement or agencies like Interpol

26. IS IT HARDER TO SELL A PAINTING AUTHENTICATED BY AI?

Yes — because AI does not authenticate. If you ask AI whether a painting is authentic, it might respond with a probability or uncertainty. As such, a painting authenticated only by AI cannot be sold at full market value, as this would be based on speculation rather than certainty.

27. DOES AI MAKE AUTHENTICATION MISTAKES?

Yes. AI can and does make many mistakes, especially when used alone. There have already been several known cases of errors in AI-based authentication.

28. DOES AI ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR TRADITIONAL TESTING METHODS?

No. AI does not eliminate the need for:

• Pigment analysis
• Carbon dating
• Signature examination
• X-rays
• High-resolution photography
• Ultraviolet or infrared examination
• Raking light photos
• Macro photography
• RAW photo format
• Materials testing and identification
• Dendrochronology (for panel paintings)
• Provenance research
• Documentary research
• Forensic studies
• Canvas or paper analysis
• Archive research
• Art library research
• Thermoluminescence dating (for ceramics)
• Authenticating art ceramics

29. WHAT IS AI MOST USEFUL FOR IN PAINTING AUTHENTICATION?

AI is especially helpful for gathering information from the web, rapidly and at scale.

30. WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE — HOW DOES AI HELP ME AUTHENTICATE MY PAINTING?

AI helps reduce the time and cost of authentication by performing many routine searches and tasks more efficiently. What once took days or weeks can now be completed much faster — and at a lower cost.

31. WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME TO BEGIN USING AI ON MY PAINTING?

To begin, we’ll need:

• High-quality photos of the painting
• Dimensions
• Any information you already have — such as:
  • When and where you acquired the artwork
  • From whom it was acquired
  • Copies of any documents you possess related to the piece