Original Works Of Art

5 March, 2019

5 March, 2019

How To Avoid Purchasing A Piece of Art That Isn’t Authentic

In today’s day and age, misappropriation, plagiarism, and duplication are frequent occurrences throughout the world of academia, the world of business, and the world of art. Original works of art are unique and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, the safeguards already put in place to guard against the unauthorised reproduction of works have their own respective flaws that allow unauthentic and unoriginal works to slip through the cracks and be sold as authentic works.

Not only does this discourage people from joining the rewarding world of art collecting, but it also hurts commercial galleries and the artists who they represent.

When purchasing original works of art, be sure to follow these three points to ensure that the work being purchased is authentic and an original work of the named artist:

Only Purchase From Reputable Commercial Galleries & Artists

While we would never want to dissuade collectors or art enthusiasts from purchasing works of art through other means, one of the safest ways to purchase a piece of art is directly through a reputable commercial gallery or directly from the artist themselves. These can be done both in-person or through web-based online art stores.

Purchasing through a commercial gallery that actually represents real artists, you can be sure that the piece you are receiving is authentic and original, and most likely given to you straight from the artist’s studio. Commercial galleries tend to develop very close relationships with the artists that they represent, meant to assure potential collectors and buyers that each work is genuine, original, and authentic.

At Forest Gallery we build relationships with artists which often span decades.  This trusting working relationship means that our clients can purchase quality, genuine and curated artwork direct from the artist’s studio.

Learn About The Artist

If you’re an art enthusiast or an art collector, researching the artist in question should be one of your first steps prior to actually purchasing the work. By researching the artist, not only will you learn more about their work, allowing you to delve further into your interpretation of the work, but you’ll also learn more about their process, the aesthetic quality of their work, and the specific galleries in which they have exhibited. If you are looking to purchase artwork through a web-based online art store that is not listed anywhere on their CV or their list of exhibitions, then alarm bells should be ringing.

Join The Art Conversation

One of the best ways to get involved in the purchase and sale of artwork is becoming a part of the larger art conversation. Come to gallery openings, see work frequently, attend artist talks, and participate in the community. Not only will you become more engaged with artwork in general, but you’ll be able to hear the advice of fellow collectors and enthusiasts who can help to point you in the right direction if you’re interested in purchasing work.

In addition, you’ll become much more familiar with art it its physical sense, as opposed to its watered-down web-based sense. You’ll be able to immediately spot anomalies in work that you’ve purchased through non-reputable dealers because the quality will almost certainly be impacted. These subtle clues should help to tip you off on an artwork’s authenticity.

Forest Gallery’s Original Works Of Art

Here at Forest Gallery, we offer a curated selection of original and authentic artworks direct from the artist’s studio. We would love to welcome you to our gallery space in the heart of Petworth, West Sussex.  For viewings outside our usual opening hours please get in touch with us.

Click here to view our original works of art online or alternatively follow the link below to see more artworks by Edward Hersey whose painting is featured above.