What does provenance mean?
Provenance refers to the documented history of an object's ownership. The term originated from the French word provenir, which means ‘to come from’.
For an artwork, provenance acts as a biography of that piece, tracing who has owned or exhibited the work from when it was first made to the present day.
Why is provenance important at auctions?
At Christie’s, after an item has been chosen for sale, it goes through an authentication process — as part of this process, research is carried out by experts on the provenance of an artwork. Being able to trace the history of an object’s ownership helps support the attribution of a work to a specific artist and gives a buyer confidence in the authenticity of the work they are bidding on.
A well-documented provenance also helps establish that the legal ownership of an artwork is free from disputes or claims. If any undocumented gaps are found when researching provenance, this could indicate theft or forgery and brings into question the legitimacy of a work.
This research into ownership also ensures we do not knowingly offer spoliated but unrestituted artworks, with Christie’s having the largest and most experienced Restitution team of any international auction house.
Alongside detailing more on the ownership of a piece, provenance can impact the value of an artwork. If a piece has previously been exhibited in a landmark show or has been owned by a particular artist or collector of significance, this can increase the piece's market value.
What documentation can be used to prove provenance?
Provenance can be shown through verifiable, trusted documentation, such as:
- Receipts and invoices of previous sales
- Auction catalogues, with Christie’s auction archive including catalogues that date back to our very first sale in 1766
- Exhibition catalogues or museum inventory numbers, which show if an item has been displayed or part of a collection
- A catalogue raisonné for an artist, which is a comprehensive listing of all the known works of an artist either in a particular medium or all media
- Archival records or correspondence linking the work to known collections
- Certificates of authenticity signed by the artist or an expert in the field
Secondary evidence such as archive photographs or estate inventories may also be used alongside the above documentation to create a fuller picture of an artwork’s provenance.
In summary
When an item is being sold at auction, its provenance helps to authenticate the artwork and attribute it to a particular artist. Tracing the ownership of an object also shows the fuller life of a work and the story behind it, which can help inform its market value.
If you are looking to auction an item at Christie’s, you can request a complimentary estimate from Christie’s specialists. If your item is chosen for sale, the authentication process that follows will include research into the item’s provenance and the biography of the work.