Glossary: Collecting History

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art, art history, authenticity, collecting, collecting history, collecting history vs. provenance, due diligence, origins, provenance

I came across an excellent point during my reading: some art professionals propose that the term “collecting history” is more relevant than “provenance”, and should be strictly used for accuracy. The argument is that “provenance” is too vague, that it refers only to an object’s origins, and that what is more crucial is its history since. Collecting history means (or should mean) a complete record of ownership from a piece’s creation or discovery to the present.

Unprovenanced Artifacts—Publish or Perish?

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antiquities, archaeology, art crime, art market, artefact, artifact, authenticity, Biblical Archaeology Review, Biblical Archaeology Society, collecting, cultural preservation, excavation, provenance

Click to read the editorial

This editorial from the most recent issue of Biblical Archaeology Review does an excellent job of summarizing the concerns raised by studying artefacts that were inadequately, improperly, or even illegally excavated. Within this example, comparing two scholarly books, author Hershel Shenks outlines every major problem currently being debated; I highly recommend it as a brief introduction to a typically abstruse discussion.

What to Do with Unprovenanced Artifacts—Publish or Perish?

Authenticity and Value

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art, art history, art market, artefact, artifact, authenticity, collecting, cultural preservation, museum, provenance, reproduction, value

After my last post, on forgery, I found myself still thinking about the meaning of authenticity, and the questions it raises; questions for which I have no answers. During the 19th century, it was common for art, especially sculpture, to be “restored” to make it more beautiful. Broken-off pieces like arms, feet, even heads, would be replaced with new pieces and seamlessly added to statues, with little concern for the piece’s original composition. The intent was usually not to produce an accurate restoration, but to make the piece as aesthetically pleasing as possible, according to the standards of the day. Many such pieces are now considered hopelessly inaccurate, not just because of modern knowledge, but by modern standards. In other centuries, a work of art’s great value lay in its beauty; in ours, art’s greatest value is in its authenticity.

Glossary: Forgery

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art, art crime, art forgery, art instruction, art technique, authenticity, classical, copy, counterfeit, museum, reproduction, visual problems

At first glance, the word forgery seems unnecessary for a specialised glossary; it’s a common word, readily understood. The briefest definition I found was: (n.) the action of forging or producing a copy of a document, signature, banknote, or work of art. But as a strict definition, couldn’t that apply to a museum gift shop print? The next dictionary was clearer: (n.) 1) The act of forging, especially the illegal production of something counterfeit. 2) Something counterfeit, forged, or fraudulent. So it is not enough that something be a copy, it must be a copy intended to deceive. But how does one determine intent when looking at an object? The definition of forgery may be simple on its face, but in the context of art, its meaning is complex.

The Abstract Becomes Personal

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antiquities, archaeology, art crime, art theft, art trafficking, artefact, artifact, authenticity, cultural heritage, cultural preservation, excavation, international law, looting, provenance

I was breakfasting with a friend a few days ago, cheerfully exchanging notes on current projects and dueling with iPhone apps, when my friend excitedly showed me an e-commerce listing for some “ancient glass beads”, purportedly from Afghanistan. She was interested in them for jewelry-making and colour inspiration, and wanted to know what I thought. I was stunned—the research I do every day, the main focus of my work, was suddenly, intrusively personal. I have fought back tears, hearing reports of decimated archaeological sites or carelessly destroyed paintings, yet this simple craft supply had made the meaning of provenance real to me as nothing had before.

What Provenance Research Can Do: Forgery

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antiquities, archaeology, art, art crime, art forgery, art history, artefact, artifact, authenticity, excavation, museum, provenance, research

A surprising and surprisingly clear-cut benefit of a rigourous provenance policy is defence against forgery. Expertise and technical analysis will always be necessary to prove forgery, but provenance can actually help prevent it. In art and especially archaeology, context is critical for determination of authenticity.