Disclaimer. Collectalia is not a legal, tax or insurance advice site. The information on this page is general and based on French legislation in force as of 09/11/2026: it may change, does not necessarily apply outside France and does not take your situation into account. Always have it checked by a notary, a lawyer, an accountant or your insurer before acting on it.
The essentials
- A certificate of authenticity for a work of art identifies one specific work and states who vouches for its origin.
- It must be issued by a person with standing to do so: the artist, their successors in title, the gallery or publisher, a recognised expert.
- A photo, a unique number and a copy kept by the issuer are worth more than any stamp.
What a certificate of authenticity for a work of art is for
A certificate of authenticity is a document that describes a work and attests that it is genuinely by the artist’s hand, or that it genuinely belongs to the announced edition. The law does not impose it generally, but it is strongly recommended: buyers, galleries, auction houses and insurers almost always ask for it. For a painting, a print, a photograph or a sculpture, it is often the first item in the file you will be asked for.
It accompanies the work throughout its life: at sale, at resale, during a valuation for insurance, a loan for an exhibition or an estate. A well-made certificate saves everyone time; a vague or doubtful one, on the contrary, can raise suspicion.
Who can issue a certificate of authenticity?
The value of a certificate depends above all on the person who signs it. In the usual order of authority:
- The artist, during their lifetime. A painter’s certificate of authenticity, signed in their own hand, is the reference.
- The artist’s successors in title (ayants droit) after their death, or the committee, foundation or association that defends their work.
- The gallery or publisher that first produced, published or sold the work, in particular for prints, photographs and bronze casts.
- The artist’s recognised expert, or the author of their catalogue raisonné.
A seller who is neither of these may provide a sales attestation describing the work, but must not present it as a certificate of authenticity.
The essential details
Whether you use our certificate of authenticity template in PDF or your own letterhead, a certificate of authenticity for a painting or any other work should include:
| Detail | What to write |
|---|---|
| Artist | Full name, possibly the artist’s professional name, dates or year of birth. |
| Title | The title given by the artist, or “Untitled” followed by a short description. |
| Date | Year of execution (or period, if it is not known precisely). |
| Technique and support | Oil on canvas, acrylic on paper, lithograph, pigment print, bronze with brown patina… |
| Dimensions | Height × width (× depth), in centimetres, excluding the frame; for a print, dimensions of the sheet and of the image. |
| Signature and inscriptions | Position and form of the signature (“signed lower right”), inscriptions on the back, dedication, monogram. |
| Numbering or edition | For a multiple: number and total of the edition (12/50), or EA, HC, foundry mark. |
| Inventory number | The number of the work in the studio inventory or in the catalogue raisonné, if there is one. |
| Photograph | A colour photo of the whole work, printed on the certificate. |
| Provenance | For a certificate issued after the first sale: the known successive owners. |
| Issuer, date and signature | Name and capacity of the signatory, place and date of issue, handwritten signature, certificate number. |
For prints, photographs and bronzes, edition markings have a precise meaning: see our guide artist’s proof, numbered edition, HC.
How to make a certificate of authenticity, step by step
- Examine the work. Measure it, note the signature and anything written on the back, on the stretcher or on the base. You certify only what you have had before your eyes.
- Photograph it. A sharp overall view, unframed if possible, in neutral light, and a close-up of the signature.
- Assign a number. Keep a numbered register of the certificates issued: each number refers to a single work.
- Complete the template. One detail per line, with no obscure abbreviations. If information is missing, say so rather than guess.
- Date and sign. Preferably in ink, and also sign on the back of the photo, straddling the paper, to make substitution harder.
- Keep a copy. Scan the signed certificate and keep it with the work’s record: it is your proof if the original is lost or a forgery circulates.
Good practice and mistakes to avoid
- One certificate, one work. Never a collective certificate or one “for the series”.
- No certificate for a work you have not examined. A photo sent by email is not enough for a successor in title or an expert to give an opinion.
- No blanks or erasures. An empty field is easily filled in, by anyone.
- A quality medium: thick paper, letterhead, possibly an embossed stamp or numbered hologram. These elements make copying harder, but do not replace the register.
- A clearly marked duplicate if a lost certificate has to be replaced, with a reference to the original number.
- A link with the work: the same number can be discreetly written on the back of the work, on a label.
What a certificate does not guarantee
A certificate of authenticity is never better than the person who signed it. It does not guarantee the value of the work, its current condition or its resale price. It can itself be false: in case of doubt, check with the issuer, the artist’s committee or the author of the catalogue raisonné, who generally keep the list of certificates issued. Finally, a certificate does not replace a documented provenance: invoices, exhibition catalogues and old photographs remain valuable evidence.
For an artist or successors in title, the register of certificates is often the first step towards a complete inventory of the oeuvre, even towards a catalogue raisonné. Artists and galleries should keep one from their very first sales.
With Collectalia
Each work has its own record: high-definition photos, signature, technique, dimensions, numbered edition, EA or HC, provenance, exhibitions and sales. The signed certificate is filed there as a document, with the invoice and valuations. Artists and successors in title can go as far as the catalogue raisonné: numbered entries, examination status, unlocated works, bibliography and concordances.
Disclaimer. Collectalia is not a legal, tax or insurance advice site. The information on this page is general and based on French legislation in force as of 09/11/2026: it may change, does not necessarily apply outside France and does not take your situation into account. Always have it checked by a notary, a lawyer, an accountant or your insurer before acting on it.