Architecture Historian Robin Evans, in his essay “Translations from Drawing to Building”, makes an astute observation regarding the Schinkel version shown above. The exhibition Mickalene Thomas: Origin of the Universe derives its title from Gustave Courbet’s “Origine du monde”(1866), a cheeky, erotic painting of a naked woman lying on a bed, legs spread to reveal a full-frontal view. “Dealers, conservators, museum professionals, and auction specialists have seen hundreds of paintings and can help collectors see beyond the surface.”. While not every canvas possesses a hidden artwork on the reverse, much can be learned by examining the inscriptions, labels, and hardware that accumulate as paintings change hands throughout the years. The painting was authenticated after cleaning, when the signature, date and inscription became visible. provides dates for almost every stamp used in the country from around 1820 to 1900. Butades, a potter of Sicyon, was the first who invented, at Corinth, the art of modelling portraits in the earth which he used in his trade. (The title is a mixed metaphor, as it is the title of Henry Fox Talbot's 1844-46 account of his invention of the photographic process). As to the Greeks, some say that it was invented at Sicyon, others at Corinth; but they all agree that it originated in tracing lines round the human shadow […omnes umbra hominis lineis circumducta].“, Later, in Chapter 15, he tells the now-famous story of Butades of Corinth. View our, What the Back of a Painting Reveals About Its History, While not every canvas possesses a hidden artwork on the reverse, much can be learned by examining the inscriptions, labels, and hardware that accumulate as, Stamps from canvas-makers or other art suppliers, Artist inscriptions including painting titles and dates, Descriptions of the scene, figure, or location depicted in the painting, Labels from auction houses, galleries or museum exhibitions, To determine what these markings and labels actually mean, we sat down with Gene Shannon from. Image courtesy of Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers. Sometimes, against all odds, the value of a work of art can increase exponentially thanks to clues revealed by the backside of a painting. In one instance, a painting’s labels led Shannon’s to believe that it was by American painter Mary Louise Fairchild MacMonnies. Schinkel, the architect, familiar and dependent on the line as part of his trade, is the only one to depict the line. Like the stylistic attributes of an artist’s work, the markings on the back of the canvas can give vital indicators of a painting’s provenance. “The labels themselves are like a passport for a painting, illuminating the journey of a painting from one geographic location to another.”, When looking for clues as to where the painting was created, canvas-maker stamps can be useful geographical touch-points. The most utilitarian tools used during the inspection process are a flashlight and a magnifying glass. Conceptually, it refers to a way of thinking about 3D space and its representation, relying on empirical methods; non-arithmetic and precisely articulated information that is graphically manifest. Sold via Shannon’s for $37,500 (April 2018). In one instance, a painting’s labels led Shannon’s to believe that it was by American painter Mary Louise Fairchild MacMonnies. For 19th century American paintings, Alexander Katlan’s, American Artist’s Materials Suppliers Directory. Painting the tape is a type of market manipulation whereby market players attempt to influence the price of a security at the expense of investors. So why has history transposed the origin of sculpture into the origin of painting? Arthur Bowen Davies, “Dawn” (back), dated 1926, oil on canvas. ( Log Out /  It’s possible that it stems from an old tale about Henry Beresford. Painters working in the 50 years […], […] Elder at projection systems Pablo Garcia, a prof at Carnegie Mellon, beat me to the punch. Were the paintings … Says Shannon, “canvas-makers and purveyors often stamped canvases in large black ink. This June, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy moved two Raphael portraits of Agnolo Doni and his wife Maddalena Strozzi to a different gallery of the museum, where the paintings encountered a radical change in installation: rather than hanging on the wall, the works were displayed in a standing glass case. It’s sort of CSI.”. Google Arts & Culture features content from over 2000 leading museums and archives who have partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to bring the world's treasures online. With a lack of complete information, provenance research is aided by scientific analysis methods referenced earlier. after: David Allan. In Books XXXIV and XXXV, he discusses metallurgy, sculpture, and painting. More specifically, Shannon notes, “a good restorer is your best confidant in the whole business, whether you’re a dealer, an auction house, or a private client. Mountains, bare trees and water are the usual themes of these landscape paintings. For example, you can verify a signature stylistically but back up the attribution by looking at the minute cracks in a painting under a 30-power magnifying device. Exactly why our ancestors chose to make these paintings is a matter of speculation. Because this process is vital to understanding a work’s value, “the importance of seeking the help of an experienced professional before making a significant art purchase” is a key first step, says Shannon. Looking for more? where the ancients were clearly in mind when settling these areas in the 18th century. “They changed the manufacturing process of [American] stretchers roughly every decade from 1840 to 1900. For harder-to-see indicators of authenticity and condition, conservators examine the work under higher magnifications as well as ultra-violet and raking light. High-End Auctioneers such as Sotheby 's, Christie 's etc more it is still causing convulsions to works of to. To make these paintings is a matter of speculation a story large black ink on silk paper... By a work is consigned to auction it is fully reviewed by house specialists stretcher consistent 19th! Visual environment, make-up, etc., from 1650s on provenance research American. 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