Editing Provenance (section)

===Researching the provenance of paintings===
[[File:SirWilliamPetre.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[William Petre|Sir William Petre]], 1567: artist unknown. By the turn of the 17th century, this portrait was in the [[Lumley inventories|collection]] of [[John Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley|John, 1st Baron Lumley]], a fact indicated by the ''[[cartellino]]'' added to the painting at the upper right. It is now in the [[National Portrait Gallery, London]]]]
The objective of provenance research is to produce a complete list of owners (together, where possible, with the supporting documentary proof) from when the painting was commissioned or in the artist's studio through to the present time. In practice, there are likely to be gaps in the list and documents that are missing or lost. The documented provenance should also list when the painting has been part of an exhibition and a [[bibliography]] of when it has been discussed, or illustrated in print.

Where the research is proceeding backwards, to discover the previous provenance of a painting whose current ownership and location are known, it is important to record the physical details of the painting – style, subject, signature, materials, dimensions, frame, etc.<ref>Reynolds, Lisa, ''An Art Provenance Research Guide'' available at [http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/s_papers&CISOPTR=1071&CISOBOX=1&REC=15 University of North Carolina Master's Papers] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120707092307/http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/s_papers&CISOPTR=1071&CISOBOX=1&REC=15 |date=2012-07-07 }}</ref> The titles of paintings and the attribution to a particular artist may change over time. The size of the work and its description can be used to identify earlier references to the painting.

The back of a painting can contain significant provenance information. There may be exhibition marks, dealer stamps, gallery labels and other indications of previous ownership. There may be shipping labels. In the BBC TV programme ''[[Fake or Fortune?]]'' the provenance of the painting ''[[Bords de la Seine à Argenteuil]]'' was investigated using a gallery sticker and shipping label on the back. Early provenance can sometimes be indicated by a ''[[cartellino]]'', a ''[[trompe-l'œil]]'' representation of an inscribed label, added to the front of a painting.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/glossary/cartellino |title=Cartellino |publisher=The National Gallery |location=London |work=Glossary |access-date=31 July 2018 }}</ref> However, these can be forged, or can fade or be painted over.

Auction records are an important resource to assist in researching the provenance of paintings.
* The [[Witt Library]] houses a collection of cuttings from auction catalogs which enables the researcher to identify occasions when a picture has been sold.
* The Heinz Library at the [[National Portrait Gallery, London]] maintains a similar collection, but restricted to portraits.
* The National Art Library at the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] has a collection of UK sales catalogues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nal-vam.on.worldcat.org/courseReserves/landing#?courseSearchField=all&courseQuery=&includeInactiveCourses=true&includeActiveCourses=false&page=1&sortBy=coursename|title=Course Reserves - nal-vam.on.worldcat.org|website=nal-vam.on.worldcat.org}}</ref>
* The University of York is establishing a web site with on-line resources for investigating art history in the period 1660–1735.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://artworld.york.ac.uk/the-database|title=The Art World in Britain 1660–1735|access-date=2021-01-22}}</ref> This includes diaries, sales catalogues, bills, correspondence and inventories. 
* The [[Getty Research Institute]] in Los Angeles has a ''Project for the Study of Collecting and Provenance'' (PSCP) which includes an on-line database, still being compiled, of auction and other records relating to painting provenance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/provenance/charts.html|title=What's covered in the Indexes (Getty Research Institute)|website=www.getty.edu}}</ref>
* The [[Frick Art Reference Library]] in New York has an extensive collection of auction and exhibition catalogues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frick.org/research/library|title=Frick Art Reference Library |publisher=The Frick Collection|website=www.frick.org |access-date=10 February 2019 }}</ref>
* The [[Netherlands Institute for Art History]] (RKD) has a number of databases related to artists from the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://english.rkd.nl/Databases |title=Netherlands Institute for Art History Databases |access-date=2012-06-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916233914/http://english.rkd.nl/Databases |archive-date=2012-09-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

If a painting has been in private hands for an extended period and on display in a [[stately home]], it may be recorded in an inventory – for example, the [[Lumley inventories|Lumley inventory]].<ref>''Dynasties'', a catalogue of an exhibition at the Tate Gallery, Karen Hearn, page 158</ref> The painting may also have been noticed by a visitor who subsequently wrote about it. It may have been mentioned in a will or a diary. Where the painting has been bought from a dealer, or changed hands in a private transaction, there may be a bill of sale or sales receipt that provides evidence of provenance. Where the artist is known, there may be a {{lang|fr|[[catalogue raisonné]]}} listing all the artist's known works and their location at the time of writing. A database of {{lang|fr|catalogues raisonné}} is available at the [http://www.ifar.org/cat_rais.php International Foundation for Art Research].<ref name="Grosvenor">{{cite web|url=https://www.arthistorynews.com/|title=Art History News |first=Bendor |last=Grosvenor |author-link=Bendor Grosvenor |website=www.arthistorynews.com}}</ref>

Historic photos of the painting may be discussed and illustrated in a more general work on the artist, period or genre. Similarly, a photograph of a painting may show inscriptions (or a signature) that subsequently became lost as a result of overzealous restoration. Conversely, a photograph may show that an inscription was not visible at an earlier date. One of the disputed aspects of the [[The Rice portrait|"Rice" portrait]] of [[Jane Austen]] concerns apparent inscriptions identifying artist and sitter.<ref name="Grosvenor"/>