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
- The condition report for a work of art records its condition on a given date, backed up by photos.
- It is made at each change of hands or place: loan, transport, restoration, purchase or sale.
- Precise vocabulary and photos in raking light make the report comparable from one time to the next.
The condition report for a work of art: what it is for
A condition report, or condition check, describes the physical condition of a work: what is sound, what is fragile, what is damaged. It judges neither authenticity nor value. Its value lies in its date: by comparing two reports, you know whether a crack, a scratch or a lifting of the paint appeared between the two, and therefore, often, who is responsible.
For a painting, it covers the support (canvas, panel, paper), the paint layer, the varnish, the stretcher and the frame. For a sculpture, the material, the patina, the base and any added elements. For a work on paper, the paper itself, the margins and the mounting.
When to make a condition report
- Before and after a loan or exhibition: a report on departure, signed by the lender and the borrower, then a report on return.
- Before and after transport or a move, including a stay in storage.
- Before and after a restoration, to document what the restorer found and what they did.
- On purchase and sale: the buyer knows what they are acquiring, the seller protects themselves against a later claim.
- During a collection check (récolement): museums of France check their inventories every ten years, and many foundations and private collections follow their example to take stock regularly.
- After a loss (water damage, fall, fire), for the insurer.
How to make a condition report, step by step
- Identify the work. Artist, title, date, technique, dimensions, inventory number, owner, place and date of the report, name of the person making it.
- Prepare the lighting. Diffuse light for the general view, then a lamp held almost flat against the surface: raking light reveals lifting, deformations of the canvas and dents. A magnifying glass helps with cracks.
- Photograph. Overall view of the front, overall view of the back, then each alteration in close-up with a scale reference (a small ruler). Keep the same framing from one report to the next.
- Measure. Dimensions of the work, and dimensions and position of significant alterations (“loss of 2 cm, 10 cm from the left edge”).
- Mark them on a diagram. The condition report template has a front frame and a back frame: locate each alteration there with a number that refers to the description and the photo.
- Describe, area by area. Support, paint layer, varnish, frame. The right word is better than a vague sentence: “lifting” rather than “small problem”.
- Conclude and sign. Overall condition (good, fair, fragile), recommendations (do not transport, consult a restorer), then the signature of each party present.
The vocabulary of alterations
Using the same words as restorers makes your report readable by everyone. Here are the most common terms for a condition report on a painting or art object:
| Term | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| Dust deposit | A surface layer of dust or grime, often more marked at the bottom and on the reverse. |
| Soiling | Dirt more adherent than dust (smoke, grease), which dulls the whole. |
| Age cracks (craquelure) | A network of fine cracks in the paint layer, due to normal ageing. |
| Premature cracking | Wider cracks that appeared early, linked to the painter’s technique. |
| Lifting | A paint flake coming away from the support without having fallen: risk of loss. |
| Flaking | Loss of small flakes of paint or ground. |
| Loss | Missing area where material has disappeared, revealing the layer beneath or the support. |
| Overpaint | Paint added afterwards, often in an earlier restoration, often detectable under an ultraviolet lamp. |
| Blanching (chanci) | A whitish or milky veil in the varnish, caused by moisture. |
| Yellowed or oxidised varnish | Varnish that has turned yellow or brown over time, distorting the colours. |
| Tear | Rupture of the canvas or paper. |
| Dent | Inward deformation of the canvas after a blow, without rupture. |
| Scratch | A superficial linear mark left by rubbing or a pointed object. |
| Oxidation | Chemical alteration of a metal (corrosion, verdigris on a bronze, tarnishing of silver). |
| Pitting (piqûres) | Small brown spots on paper; also refers to holes left by insects in wood. |
| Foxing | Scattered reddish-brown spots on paper, linked to humidity and ageing. |
| Light damage | Fading or yellowing due to prolonged exposure to light. |
| Cockling | Waviness of paper or slackened canvas. |
Stay descriptive: record what you see, without pronouncing on the cause or the treatment, which are for the restorer.
Tracking condition over time
A single report has little value; a series of reports tells the life of the work. Keep them all, dated, with their photos, in the same file as the work’s record. Use the same framing and the same lighting so that the comparison is fair. Note alongside any restorations, changes of frame and moves.
This file is then useful to the insurer after a loss, to the expert during an estimate, and to the buyer on a sale. Foundations and small museums make it the basis of their collection check, and experts and advisers pass it on to their clients.
With Collectalia
Condition reports are recorded on each work’s record, with their photos taken from your phone, alongside loans, movements, location and restorations. The history can be read at a glance, and a PDF report can be given to the borrower, the carrier or the insurer.
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.