107-402 Attribution, Expertise & Connoiseurship

Usually 37.5 points of art history or European studies at second/third year, see Prerequisites and see Prerequisites.

This subject develops skills in discriminating between works of art primarily by means of their visual properties, in order to make judgements about authorship and attribution. It provides a foundation for developing professional skills required by auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christie's as well as dealers and galleries. The main tasks involve the attribution of unpublished works of art of the kind to be found on the art market and the writing of expertises solicited by auction houses. Particular attention will be paid to a wide range of traditional and recent resources, including auction catalogues, both contemporary and historical, indexes of artists' signatures and collectors' marks (Lugt), photographic archives (Witt Library), and on-line databases (Getty Provenance Index). Examples considered focus on landscape painting and drawing in Italy 1500-1800. Students completing the subject should have developed skills in attribution and dating, researching provenances, writing catalogue entries, and providing expertise to the art trade.