COULD YOUR ARTWORK BE BY MAURICE UTRILLO?

Previously unknown works by important artists continue to emerge from private collections, estates, inheritances, and long-held family possessions. While authentic works by Maurice Utrillo may be uncommon, 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, gouache, watercolor, drawing, or other work may be by Maurice Utrillo, obtaining an independent professional opinion is the appropriate first step. Utrillo is especially associated with views of Montmartre, Parisian streets, churches, cafés, houses, and provincial French architecture. His production includes oils on canvas and board as well as gouaches and watercolors on paper. Works documented by the Association Maurice Utrillo–Suzanne Valadon range from early Montmartre paintings to later gouaches and provincial views.

We have specialized in the authentication of works attributed to Maurice Utrillo 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 Maurice Utrillo?

From a single photograph of ordinary quality, we can often determine whether a work appears broadly consistent with Utrillo’s practice or whether it clearly does not. His oeuvre changed over time and includes both oil paintings and works on paper, so subject, support, palette, paint handling, inscriptions, proposed date, and provenance should all be considered together.

What services do you provide?

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

Is it possible to discover a previously unknown Maurice Utrillo today?

Yes. Paintings and works on paper can remain in private collections, estates, inheritances, and family possessions without having been widely documented. The current Comité Utrillo continues to examine submitted works, and recent examples authenticated by the committee have been designated for inclusion in forthcoming catalogue raisonné volumes.

Do I need to get my Maurice Utrillo 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 Maurice Utrillo authenticated?

Not for you. Send us photographs of the front and reverse, close-ups of the painted surface, signature, date, inscriptions, labels, canvas or board, stretcher, edges, and other important details, together with the dimensions and anything you know about the work’s history. For works on paper, include the complete sheet, reverse, margins, mounting, and all inscriptions.

How long does it take to authenticate a Maurice Utrillo?

It depends on how much is already known about the work when we begin the investigation. An initial assessment may sometimes be possible relatively quickly, while more complex cases involving catalogue research, provenance, archival documentation, comparative examination, or scientific testing may require considerably more work.

How much does it cost to authenticate a Maurice Utrillo?

From the low hundreds to the high thousands. It depends on the type of work, existing documentation, the location of relevant archives and comparative material, and whether travel or scientific testing is required.

Can a signature alone prove that a Maurice Utrillo is authentic?

No. A signature, date, or inscription cannot establish authorship by itself. It must be evaluated together with the materials, technique, support, dimensions, provenance, labels, physical characteristics, and relationship to securely documented works.

Can an unsigned Maurice Utrillo still be authentic?

Potentially, yes. The absence of a signature does not by itself establish that a work is inauthentic. Materials, technique, proposed date, provenance, labels, inscriptions, and other evidence must be considered together.

What documents help authenticate a Maurice Utrillo work?

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

Can a Maurice Utrillo work be authenticated from photographs?

Photographs are extremely useful for an initial assessment, but they should not automatically be treated as sufficient for final authentication. The current Comité Utrillo expressly states that it does not issue certificates merely from photographs: photographs and provenance information are first used for archival research, after which a work may be requested for physical presentation to the committee.

Is there an official Maurice Utrillo authentication committee?

Yes. The Association Maurice Utrillo–Suzanne Valadon maintains archives and operates the Comité Utrillo. The association states that its documentary holdings include correspondence, photographs, art-historical publications, exhibition catalogues, and auction catalogues, and that the committee meets regularly to examine works submitted by private owners and art-market professionals.

How does the Comité Utrillo authentication process work?

The Association asks owners initially to submit photographs, dimensions, information about signatures and dates, and all available provenance. If the work is selected for further examination, it is physically presented to the committee. Following examination, the committee communicates its conclusion and, when appropriate, issues a certificate.

Is there a catalogue raisonné of Maurice Utrillo?

Yes. Maurice Utrillo’s oeuvre has a long catalogue raisonné history. Paul Pétridès published the multi-volume L’Œuvre complet de Maurice Utrillo, and later catalogue raisonné research has been undertaken by Jean Fabris and Cédric Paillier. The Association also publishes a catalogue devoted to Utrillo’s celebrated White Period, while further catalogue raisonné work remains in preparation.

Is catalogue raisonné research important for Maurice Utrillo?

Yes. Catalogue references can provide crucial evidence concerning title, date, medium, dimensions, provenance, exhibitions, literature, and previous authentication history. Recent authenticated works have sometimes been announced as destined for inclusion in forthcoming catalogue raisonné volumes.

What is Maurice Utrillo’s White Period?

The White Period is one of the best-known phases of Utrillo’s career and is associated with his distinctive depictions of Montmartre and urban architecture dominated by pale, chalky walls and restrained tonal relationships. It has been important enough to receive a dedicated catalogue of Utrillo’s complete oeuvre for that period, published by the Association Maurice Utrillo.

What subjects did Maurice Utrillo paint?

Utrillo is particularly known for streets, churches, cafés, squares, houses, and other architectural views in Montmartre and elsewhere in France. Documented works include subjects such as the Moulin de la Galette, Sacré-Cœur, the Place du Tertre, village streets, churches, and provincial buildings.

Did Maurice Utrillo work on board and cardboard as well as canvas?

Yes. Documented works include oil on canvas, oil on board, and oil on cardboard, as well as works on paper. Recent authenticated examples published by the Association include paintings on canvas and board, while catalogued later works also include oil on cardboard.

Did Maurice Utrillo work in gouache and watercolor?

Yes. Works on paper form an important part of his oeuvre. Documented examples include gouache on paper and combinations of gouache and watercolor on paper.

Why is the reverse of a Maurice Utrillo painting important?

The reverse can preserve signatures, dates, locations, labels, stretcher inscriptions, gallery information, inventory marks, and other evidence. A 1931 work authenticated by the Comité Utrillo-Valadon, for example, carries a second signature, location, and date on its stretcher. Such evidence can materially strengthen provenance and dating research.

Is it always necessary to perform scientific analyses of a Maurice Utrillo?

No. Many works can initially be evaluated through catalogue research, provenance investigation, archival documentation, comparative study, and technical examination. Scientific testing of pigments, binders, canvas, board, cardboard, paper, grounds, or other materials may be appropriate when questions remain concerning age or composition.

What if my Maurice Utrillo has no provenance?

Incomplete provenance does not automatically mean that a work is inauthentic. However, the Comité Utrillo specifically requests all available information that can establish provenance when an owner submits a work. When provenance is incomplete, archival research, catalogue comparison, inscriptions, labels, materials, and technical examination become especially important.

Why is the date important when authenticating a Maurice Utrillo?

Utrillo’s materials, palette, handling, and subjects changed over the course of his career. A work purportedly dating from around 1910 should not automatically be judged by exactly the same criteria as a work from the 1930s or late 1940s. Securely documented examples span these periods and provide comparative evidence for changes in his practice.

Do you issue Certificates of Authenticity for Maurice Utrillo works?

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

APPRAISALS & VALUATIONS

How much is my Maurice Utrillo worth?

We will appraise your work and determine its value. Date, period, subject, medium, dimensions, quality, condition, provenance, catalogue raisonné status, exhibition history, literature, rarity, and current market demand are important valuation factors. An important early or White Period oil painting, later canvas, gouache, watercolor, and work on board or cardboard can occupy different market categories.

SELLING

Can you sell my Maurice Utrillo 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 Maurice Utrillo?

Yes. Your work should be priced correctly for its period, medium, quality, condition, documentation, market, and method of sale. An independent appraisal helps prevent both underpricing and overpricing.

Do I need authentication before selling my Maurice Utrillo?

Yes. Authentication and catalogue documentation can have a major effect on marketability and value. Recent auction offerings of important Utrillo works frequently reference Comité Utrillo-Valadon confirmation, certificates, or catalogue raisonné inclusion.

Can you help me maximize the selling price of my Maurice Utrillo?

Yes. Authentication, Comité and catalogue research, provenance, exhibition history, literature, condition, valuation, timing, presentation, and the chosen sales method can all influence the final result.

Should I restore my Maurice Utrillo before selling it?

Usually not. Original paint surfaces, boards, canvases, cardboard supports, labels, stretcher inscriptions, and other physical characteristics may preserve important evidence. We generally recommend having the work evaluated before cleaning, relining, varnish removal, retouching, remounting, or other intervention.

How long does it take to sell a Maurice Utrillo?

Higher-value works generally require more preparation because sophisticated buyers expect strong documentation. Authentication, catalogue research, provenance investigation, condition assessment, valuation, and selection of the appropriate market should normally be completed first.

BUYING & ADVISORY

Should I buy a Maurice Utrillo?

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

Can you review a Maurice Utrillo 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 Maurice Utrillo?

Three fundamental questions should always be answered: Is it authentic? What is its condition? Is the price reasonable? You should also examine the proposed date, medium, support, dimensions, provenance, catalogue raisonné status, signature and inscriptions, labels, exhibition history, literature, restoration history, and any available Comité Utrillo documentation.

How can I avoid buying a fake Maurice Utrillo?

Call us before you buy. Do not rely solely on a signature, Montmartre subject, pale façade, old-looking canvas, or seller attribution. Utrillo’s highly recognizable streetscapes have been copied and imitated extensively. Independent examination of materials, technique, provenance, catalogue raisonné records, archival evidence, inscriptions, and comparison with securely documented works can substantially reduce the risk of acquiring a forgery 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 MAURICE UTRILLO AUTHENTICATION OR APPRAISAL

Whether you require authentication, a Certificate of Authenticity, an appraisal, valuation, provenance research, catalogue raisonné research, buying advice, selling assistance, brokerage, or investment guidance regarding a work attributed to Maurice Utrillo, 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.