COULD YOUR ARTWORK BE BY TAMARA DE LEMPICKA?

Previously unknown works by important artists continue to emerge from private collections, estates, inheritances, and long-held family possessions. While authentic works by Tamara de Lempicka may be rare, every work deserves to be evaluated on its own merits rather than dismissed simply because it is unfamiliar or undocumented.

If you believe your painting, drawing, watercolor, gouache, portrait, nude, still life, or other work on paper may be by Tamara de Lempicka, obtaining an independent professional opinion is the appropriate first step. Lempicka was one of the most distinctive painters associated with Art Deco and is especially known for glamorous portraits, elegant female figures, sensual nudes, and highly polished compositions characterized by sculptural modeling, sharply defined contours, compressed space, and sophisticated color.

We have specialized in the authentication of works attributed to Tamara de Lempicka since 2002. We issue Certificates of Authenticity (COAs), Authentication Reports, appraisals, valuations, provenance reports, and provide buying, selling, brokerage, and investment advisory services for collectors, attorneys, insurers, financial institutions, estates, museums, and private clients worldwide.

Getting started is straightforward. Simply send us photographs of the work together with its dimensions and any information you have regarding its history or ownership. After reviewing the material, we will recommend the most appropriate course of action.

AUTHENTICATION

Is this a Tamara de Lempicka?

From a single photograph of ordinary quality, we can often determine whether a work appears consistent with Lempicka’s work or whether it clearly does not. Her production includes portraits, nudes, still lifes, religious subjects, landscapes, drawings, watercolors, and works on paper, so the proposed date, subject, medium, support, palette, modeling, brushwork, signature, inscriptions, and provenance must all be considered.

What services do you provide?

We provide authentication, certification, Certificates of Authenticity (COAs), Authentication Reports, appraisals and valuations, provenance research, private sales and brokerage, investment advice, and analytical art market research.

Is it possible to discover a previously unknown Tamara de Lempicka today?

Yes. Lempicka maintained a long career and produced paintings, drawings, studies, watercolors, and related works over several decades. Previously undocumented examples can remain in private collections, estates, family holdings, and collections that have not been publicly exhibited or thoroughly researched.

Do I need to get my Tamara de Lempicka authenticated?

Yes. Authentication is essential if you wish to sell your work for its full market value. It is also important for insurance, estate planning, charitable donations, financing, and many legal purposes.

Is it complicated to get a Tamara de Lempicka authenticated?

Not for you. Simply send us photographs of the entire front and reverse, close-up photographs of the painted or drawn surface, signature, date, inscriptions, labels, stamps, canvas, panel, board, paper, stretcher, frame, and other important details, together with the dimensions and anything you know about the work’s history. The investigation itself is our responsibility.

How long does it take to authenticate a Tamara de Lempicka?

It depends on how much is already known about the work when we begin the investigation. In the simplest cases, authenticity can be confirmed within a couple of weeks. More complex cases may require several months.

How much does it cost to authenticate a Tamara de Lempicka?

From the low hundreds to the high thousands. It depends on how much is already known and documented, where relevant archives and comparative works are located, and whether travel or scientific testing is required.

Can a signature alone prove that a Tamara de Lempicka painting is authentic?

No. A signature or inscription is only one element of evidence and cannot establish authenticity by itself. It must be evaluated together with the work’s materials, technique, support, date, provenance, and other physical and documentary characteristics.

Can an unsigned Tamara de Lempicka painting still be authentic?

Yes. The absence of a visible signature does not by itself establish that a painting, drawing, or work on paper is inauthentic. Attribution should be based on the complete body of evidence, including materials, technique, support, date, provenance, and comparison with securely documented works.

What documents help authenticate a Tamara de Lempicka?

Any document that mentions, describes, illustrates, or refers to the work may assist the authentication. Historic photographs, invoices, correspondence, exhibition catalogues, gallery and dealer records, collection catalogues, conservation reports, insurance documents, auction records, collection inventories, family papers, and previous ownership records can all contribute valuable evidence.

Can a Tamara de Lempicka work be authenticated from photographs?

Yes. High-quality photography is an extremely useful authentication tool and allows us to study composition, drawing, modeling, paint application, color, surface, canvas, paper, signatures, inscriptions, labels, and other important characteristics remotely. When additional evidence is required, we may recommend an in-person examination. We examine works worldwide.

Is it always necessary to perform scientific analyses of a Tamara de Lempicka?

No. Many works can be authenticated through research, provenance investigation, comparative analysis, and technical examination. Scientific testing is generally reserved for more difficult cases when questions remain concerning pigments, binders, canvas, board, paper, grounds, varnishes, or the age and composition of other materials.

Are portraits particularly important in Tamara de Lempicka authentication?

Yes. Portraiture is central to Lempicka’s reputation. Facial structure, elongated hands, sharply modeled features, clothing, jewelry, hairstyle, pose, background architecture, palette, and the relationship between the sitter and surrounding space can all provide useful comparative evidence.

Are female nudes important when authenticating Lempicka?

Yes. Female nudes form an important part of Lempicka’s oeuvre. Her treatment of the body often combines smooth, sculptural modeling with strong contours, dramatic foreshortening, and carefully controlled highlights and shadows. Anatomy, pose, surface, color, and compositional structure can therefore assist authentication.

Are Art Deco characteristics important in Tamara de Lempicka authentication?

Yes. Lempicka’s mature paintings are closely associated with Art Deco aesthetics, including streamlined forms, luxurious surfaces, geometric backgrounds, polished modeling, and an atmosphere of modern sophistication. Art Deco appearance alone, however, cannot establish authorship. Materials, execution, chronology, provenance, and comparison with documented works remain essential.

Are hands and facial features important when authenticating Lempicka?

Yes. Lempicka frequently used highly stylized but carefully controlled treatments of hands, eyes, noses, lips, and facial planes. The relationship between anatomical exaggeration and precise modeling can provide useful comparative evidence when examined against securely documented works from the same period.

Are still lifes important in Tamara de Lempicka authentication?

Yes. Lempicka produced still lifes featuring flowers, fruit, vessels, and other objects. Their polished surfaces, geometric arrangement, sculptural modeling, controlled lighting, and color relationships can provide useful evidence when compared with documented examples.

Are religious subjects important in Lempicka authentication?

Yes. Religious and devotional subjects appear in parts of Lempicka’s oeuvre, particularly in later periods. These works can differ significantly from the glamorous portraits for which she is best known, so correct dating and period comparison are especially important.

Are Lempicka’s different periods important for authentication?

Yes. Correctly identifying the proposed period is essential. Her celebrated Paris paintings of the 1920s and 1930s differ from later works produced in the United States and Mexico, where her palette, subject matter, and technique evolved. A work should therefore be compared with securely documented examples from the appropriate phase of her career.

What if my Tamara de Lempicka has no provenance?

Incomplete provenance is common. When provenance is incomplete, authentication relies more heavily on research, technical examination, photography, analysis of materials and inscriptions, comparison with documented works, and, where appropriate, scientific testing.

Do you issue Certificates of Authenticity for Tamara de Lempicka works?

Yes. Upon completion of the authentication, we issue a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) together with a detailed and fully referenced Authentication Report.

APPRAISALS & VALUATIONS

How much is my Tamara de Lempicka worth?

We will appraise your work and determine its value. Date, period, subject, medium, dimensions, condition, provenance, rarity, quality, exhibition history, publication history, and current market demand can all materially affect value. Major Art Deco portraits, important female nudes, still lifes, religious subjects, drawings, and works on paper may occupy very different areas of Lempicka’s market.

SELLING

Can you sell my Tamara de Lempicka for me?

Yes. We specialize in private sales but use every appropriate selling method to obtain the highest possible net price. We manage the process professionally, confidentially, and on your behalf.

Do I need an appraisal before selling my Tamara de Lempicka?

Yes. Your work should be priced correctly for the country, market, and method of sale. An independent appraisal helps prevent both underpricing and overpricing.

Do I need authentication before selling my Tamara de Lempicka?

Yes. Without authentication, your work may sell for only a fraction of its potential market value.

Can you help me maximize the selling price of my Tamara de Lempicka?

Yes. Authentication, provenance, valuation, timing, presentation, exhibition history, publication history, and the chosen sales method can all influence the final result. We also provide collection management advice designed to maximize value.

Should I restore my Tamara de Lempicka before selling it?

Usually not. Original paint surfaces, varnishes, canvas, panels, labels, inscriptions, stretcher construction, and frames can provide important evidence during authentication and may materially affect value. Lempicka’s highly polished surfaces can be especially sensitive to inappropriate cleaning, overpainting, or varnish alteration. We generally recommend having the work evaluated before undertaking restoration.

How long does it take to sell a Tamara de Lempicka?

Higher-value works generally require more time to sell because there are fewer qualified buyers. Correct pricing, strong documentation, and the appropriate sales method all contribute to a successful sale.

BUYING & ADVISORY

Should I buy a Tamara de Lempicka?

If you enjoy Lempicka’s work, certainly. If your primary objective is investment, we can evaluate the proposed acquisition and alternative opportunities.

Can you review a Tamara de Lempicka before I buy it?

Yes. We provide independent pre-purchase research and analysis for collectors and investors. We also prepare predictive art market forecasts and Buy-Hold-Sell recommendations.

What should I check before buying a Tamara de Lempicka?

Three fundamental questions should always be answered: Is it authentic? What is its condition? Is the price reasonable? For Lempicka, the proposed date, period, subject, medium, dimensions, support, palette, modeling, drawing, brushwork, signature, inscriptions, provenance, exhibition history, publication history, and relationship to documented works from the same period can all be particularly important.

How can I avoid buying a fake Tamara de Lempicka?

Call us before you buy. An independent review before completing the purchase is one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of acquiring a forged, incorrectly dated, incorrectly described, reproduced, or misattributed work.

Can you advise me on building a collection?

Yes. We advise collectors on the financial aspects of acquisition, ownership, collection management, and eventual sale.

REQUEST A TAMARA DE LEMPICKA AUTHENTICATION OR APPRAISAL

Whether you require authentication, a Certificate of Authenticity, an appraisal, valuation, provenance research, buying advice, selling assistance, brokerage, or investment guidance regarding a work attributed to Tamara de Lempicka, our specialists are available to assist.

Complete the contact form below or call us at +1 (212) 658-0466 to discuss your work with one of our experts.