Fine Art Authentication Investigations

 
Enquêteurs d'authentification

Investigadores de autentificación

تحقيقات الفنون الجميلة المشروعة

Ermittler der Kunstauthentifizierung

Conducting Specialist Investigations into Confirming the Authenticity or Attributions of Works of Art believed to be by:

INDAGARE AUTENTICITÀ E ATTRIBUZIONI DELL'ART -  ENQUÊTE SUR L'AUTHENTICITÉ ET LES ATTRIBUTIONS DE L'ART
Willem Cornelisz Duyster

Dutch Golden Age Painter

(Amsterdam 1599-1635)

 Willem Cornelisz Duyster (Dutch, 1852-1924), was a mysterious artist who takes his surname from the name of his house which was located in the Koningstraat in Amsterdam that was called "De Duystere Werelt", or the dark world.
Duyster was primarily a figure painter known for his genre scenes and a few portraits, but he is principally best known for his guardroom scenes depicting military life, merry making and up to no-gooders.  There are works with soldiers drinking, smoking and gambling at cards or playing tric-trac, activities that the moralists of the time condemned as vices.

 There is only relatively small amounts of his life's product that is intact to date, as his life was cut short during the Amsterdam plague in 1635. However he was a skilful artist who showed great ability in painting fabrics and clothing and his works display an interesting interplay between the characters he was storytelling. Were he to have lived, there is little doubt that he would have become an important and successful artist of the era.

 As was popular at the time, Duyster is known to have collaborated with another artist, equally mysteriously known as the monogamist PW. And an artist still not yet positively identified. However it may be Pieter Willemszvan der Stock, the artist mentioned in the inventory of a distinguished Dutch collection in 1636 who se specialism was architecture and perspective.

  During Holland's golden age, such collaborations between two artists was quite frequent in Holland. But being a professional painter was highly regulated and the artist had to not only choose his subject and register with the guild of the city, but if for instance the artist was normally an architectural painter, he was not allowed paint a figurative character because that subject was entirely reserved for painters registered for just that subject. Perhaps explaining curiously anonymous collaborations between various different artists in the city.

 As can be seen from the examples set out below, Willem Cornelisz Duyster's paintings have fetched increasingly high prices at auction over the years with many far outstripping their auction estimates.

  So there is an increasing need to be cautious when works do come up for sale claiming to be by him and have them scrutinised closely. Particularly with a view to confirming both the legitimacy of any painting possibly by Will em Cornelisz Duyster and equally, understanding fully, exactly what any auction or sale descriptors mean or infer. Identifying any historically incorrect attributions that may have been previously given to an artist is also vitally important.

 Unfortunately there are some artist attributions and descriptions that are deliberately falsified, based purely on the subject matter they depict, entirely intending to deceive potential buyers. Others deliver honest mistakes. So any formal 'attribution' in itself should also be examined very carefully indeed, if only to verify that the quality, level of academicism and the accuracy of that assignment to that artist is well established and rightfully ascribed. The words 'Bears signature' is a common concern for us all and subjectively they need to be a perfect match.

 Confirming that it is specifically accurate, correctly researched and a credible academic attribution is essential and it should always be kept in mind, that any attribution, no matter at what level of credibility or status it comes from, is still only an opinion and one that the work 'might' be or "could" be by that artist.  It in no way means it is BY that artist

It's a matter of your personal interpretation, discretion and judgement as to how you view and indeed, respect the attribution.

Faking art:

 An increasingly popular mode of deception once an artist has become popular such as Duyster and his contemporaries have, is for a less then honest dealer to take a similarly subjective, yet much less important painting, in Willem Cornelisz Duyster's case and either remove its existing authors name, or if it is a previously anonymous unsigned work, add a name to it such as Willem Cornelisz Duyster to increase its value. This is easily the most common form of fake and attempted art fraud we encounter and investigate.

 To help understand the generally observed and well accepted semantics that are used in auction descriptions, they are set out further down this page. They define exactly what the 'expert's view of the work being offered is and they can also have a distinct bearing on the financial outcome. So be cautious that you don't miss the often well 'disguised' attribution. One that is carefully placed or even hidden somewhere in that descriptor which starts off by stating that it actually is BY the artist, when it actually is not and turns out to be an attribution or by a follower.!

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 We are able to assist and advise you in all fine art related matters, particularly issues relating to the investigation of the legitimacy and attributions of Dutch Old master art, including the works of Willem Cornelisz Duyster and any other works of works that you need assistance or advice with.

Some examples associated with the Duyster name appear below simply as comparative illustrations.

*No inference is made, nor is it intended as to the question of their legitimacy here on this page. Moreover they are an across the board, representational view of the differing types of works of art that have, are, or may in the future be offered and advertised for sale at auction internationally in the public domain and that you may need specialist advise on.

   The direction and subsequently the duration of any authenticity investigation or inquiry into verifying an attribution of a work of art to a given artist, will inevitably vary from project to project. But there are clear and very well defined expert professional formalities, responsibilities and areas of scrutiny that we can formally assist you with. Including:

• Authentication: Authentification, Authenticity: Conducting comprehensive investigations and in depth research into a work of art with a view to establishing a correct, complete and formally recognized certification of legitimacy. One that's absolutely upheld by the appropriate, legally and internationally sanctioned authority, body or internationally acknowledged expert on that artist. Directing detailed and complicated inquiries, with multilingual capacity, including any international academic research and forensic applications that are required.
  
  
• Attributions: We conduct investigations with the intention of identifying and confirming the identity of a previously anonymous artist, studio or workshop, from which a work of art most likely originated. As well as, the re-examination and investigation of any previous attribution,. One which may be incorrect and scrutinizing an attribution that has been formally questioned or doubted.
  
  

•  Confirmation:  Undertaking research and investigations into the legitimacy of the provenance, history and prior ownership of a work of art and establishing its accuracy and own legitimacy.
  
  

•  Scrutiny: Examen minutieux:  Identifying fake or faux works of art and forgeries, including any false supportive accompanying documentation and determining works of art which may be studio or later copies, or previously given, incorrect attributions.
  
  

•  Prosecution: Poursuite:  Investigating alleged art fraud and forgery and assisting and advising those who are currently, or may be considering litigating or prosecuting the fact. This includes colleagues who are legal professionals and individual private clients.
  
  

•  Attention: Conducting all fine art related due diligence and duty of care inquiries. Including safe prepurchase or sale related audits and assisting clients in consolidating well balanced future family distribution.

•  Appraisal: Évaluation -  Valuations and condition reports.

Step one in Dutch Art Authentication and Attribution Investigation Process.

The Pre-Authentication Assessment

 We strongly advise all clients before they embark on a full investigation into the legitimacy of art, or an artist or studio attribution inquiry, that it is very wise to engage us to undertake an impartial preliminary assessment of viability conducted first. One that is made to balance any issues that may be present that could make the longer term exercise unviable.

 This is a professional advisory service we provide and based upon the images you supply, the full details of work of arts acquisition, its history and provenance as is known to you, along with sight of any documentation, previous research or analysis that you may formerly have had conducted on it. You should then have a far better understanding of both the prospects that lie ahead, or any pitfalls we might face, before making a decision.

This is a logical and cost effective professional review and advisory for which there is a modest set fee.

Our FAQ section covers this in more detail.

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* ABOUT A WORK OF ARTS DESCRIPTOR AND ITS TERMINOLOGY *

As if in this case as if they were defining the possible works of the artist;  

Willem Cornelisz Duyster

  *It is very important to clearly understand the general auction terms that are widely used in a published descriptor and to be cautious of works that may just be created in the 'manner of' the artist, or those which could be variants of the artists works of art that 'bear an applied signature' or monogram.

•  Where the name, Willem Cornelisz Duyster (Amsterdam 1599-1635) is given with the first name/s and surname of the artist, usually cited as, Willem Cornelisz Duyster- including the dates to be specific, then in their qualified and professional opinion, they are in no doubt, it is a genuine and authentic item. One painted by that specific artist. This is usually fully qualified by its inclusion in any catalogue raissone, or by the guarantee of the opinion given by appropriate and internationally recognized expert authority on that artist.

•  When Attributed to Willem Cornelisz Duyster, or simplified to Willem Cornelisz Duyste ris the term used, or it is similarly defined as Attrib. to ' [abbreviated,] or Attribue, imputer à, imputée, or atribudo, or ascribed to, then in their opinion it is 'probably' a work by the artist, at least in part. But... there is no guarantee. It is only an opinion that it only 'possibly' may be by the artist.

•  But if the term Willem Cornelisz Duyster, or Willem Cornelisz Duyster, circle of, entourage, or "Circle of "Willem Cornelisz Duyster is specifically used, then in their opinion, it is a work only of the period of the artist, but showing their influence. Or by someone closely associated with the artist, BUT not necessarily by their pupil, assistant or student.

•  When the term is given thus; Painted in the "Style of or "Follower of Willem Cornelisz Duyster is used, this means that in their opinion it is a work of art executed only in the artist's way, in their 'style', but not necessarily by a pupil. Yet it may be a contemporary, or nearly a contemporary of the artist.

•  If the phrase in the "Manner of Willem Cornelisz Duyster is used or is defined.." then in their opinion it is also only a work painted in the style of the artist, but of a later date and definitely not by the artist that is named.

•  When the term "After Willem Cornelisz Duyster" is the term used, then in their opinion it is a copy (made at any date) of an authentic and original work by the artist. This also applies to prints made 'after' an original work of art either by the artist or another artist/ printmaker.

•  Signed - Willem Cornelisz Duyster; "Dated.." or "Inscribed Willem Cornelisz Duyster" then in their opinion the work has been signed/dated/or inscribed by that specific artist. The addition of a question mark ? however, indicates a strong element of doubt.

•  When the term 'Bears signature', is used, or the name, Willem Cornelisz Duyster is specified followed by the words; "With signature ..", or "With date .." or "With ......inscription.." or "Bears signature of Willem Cornelisz Duyster/ date / or inscription" Then in 'their opinion,' either the signature / date / or inscription is spurious, apocryphal, of doubtful authenticity, forged and has been added by someone else other than the artist.
  

We can assist and advise you in all fine art related matters.

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