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Investigating the Authenticity and Attributions of works of art believed to be by;

Maud Kathleen Lewis

Maud Lewis

(1903 – 1970)

Canadian

  Canadian history has recorded Maud Lewis's difficult life in Nova Scotia as a woman existing in a way that none would envy.

A near recluse, living in a one room house, with no running water or electricity with Everett, her itinerant fish peddler husband would have been hard. But Maud was loved by all who knew her because of her charm and smile that won the hearts of all.

 She'd suffered during her life with crippling birth defects, yet got on with her life and with huge amounts of human spirit and determination, left Canada a fine legacy in her captivating paintings.

 With fingers painfully deformed, shoulders hunched and chin pressed down onto her chest, she spent her days creating the bright and colourful some say naïve, I say folk art. Pictures of the Maritimes and the people and places she loved and knew well. This completely defined her unique style.  Her subjects were a story book, a riot of colour and joy, with ordinary folk going about their daily lives and a constant focus on animals. Cats and dogs, sheep and oxen and cows, horses and deer, all had a place in her wildly imaginative, innocent and charming creations, winter, spring or fall. 

They were created on the most primitive of surfaces, anything she could find would do. Cardboard, wallpaper, bits of wood or tin, fibre board or masonite.

 Maud would never know just how much her work is loved and enjoyed, nor the exceptional values it achieves at auction and in galleries today. And as her works are getting more and more rare, with that scarcity, up go the values again.

 So it's important to reflect on that fact and that there will be few long lost paintings, painted by Maud Lewis turn up unannounced. Though they do show up from time to time as she sold them for a pittance though mail order.

In general and more commonly however, paintings that do appear on the market, are attributed to an artists hand, or are those created by an artists followers.  These people in themselves are artists of all standards and calibres, who are simply working in an artists style and manner and of course, at any time in the past and with this brings a risk. 

So you must always ask, is the attribution to a specific artist and a description of a work itself, reliable and sound?

 It is always important to be able to distinguish between those works actually executed by an artist such as Maud Lewis, compared to those either 'claiming' to be by that artist, or rather that we are told are by them. Particularly if they aren't signed. But the questionable ones just haven't got the class.

 Wherever money is involved, there are always deliberate attempts of deception and by forgery and this unfortunately is fairly common with Maud Lewis's paintings. Created by others and devised to impress a potential, gullible purchaser.

There are always the excellent attempts at mimicking an artists hand by directly forging new variants of their works around and of course, the lesser quality beasts.

* * *

 As an international specialist fine art consultancy, with bases in Canada, but also the UK and Europe to undertake our Old and Modern master investigations and research work archivally, we have been confidentially serving both private individuals and corporate clients across Canada and around the world for over 45 years.

In so doing, investigating both single works of art and complete collections for clients, conducting in-depth authentication and legitimacy investigations and inquiries, as well as full academic and forensic investigations with multilingual archival research, into the origins of all works of art, from different geographical regions and periods. We also scrutinize and research the provenance and ownership lineage for verification purposes.

 We are able to assist and advise you in all fine art related matters, particularly issues of the authenticity and attributions Canadian art, including the works of Maud Lewis. Frankly, any works of art that you need assistance and advice with.

 Some example paintings, associated with her name appear below as illustrations. 

Note: No inference is made, nor is it intended as to the question of legitimacy here. Moreover these are an across the board representational view of the differing types of works that are and may in the future be offered and advertised for sale at auction internationally.

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

• Authentication: Authentification:   Conducting comprehensive investigations and in depth research into a work of art, with a view to establishing a correct, complete and formally recognized certification. One absolutely upheld by the appropriate, legally acknowledged and internationally sanctioned authority, body or given expert on that artist. Directing detailed and complicated inquiries, with multilingual capability, including any international academic research and forensic applications that are required.
  

•  Attribution:  Identifying and confirming the identity of a previously anonymous artist, studio or workshop from which a work of art most likely originated. Including the re-examination and investigation of a previous attribution which may be incorrect, or the scrutiny of an attribution that has been formally questioned or is currently formally 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 the Art Authentication and Attribution process.

The Pre-Authentication Assessment

   L'évaluation de pré-authentification. La evaluación previa a la autenticación

 We strongly advise clients before embarking on a full investigation of legitimacy or an artist or studio attribution inquiry, that it is wise to have an impartial preliminary assessment conducted first. One made to balance any issues that may be present that could make the longer term exercise unviable.

 This is a professional advisory service that we provide, 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 have had formerly conducted on it. You should then have a far better understanding of both the prospects 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, or:

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ABOUT A WORK OF ARTS DESCRIPTOR AND TERMINOLOGY

  *It is very important to clearly understand the auction terms that are commonly used in any 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 a signature' or monogram. In this case as if they were defining the creations of the Canadian artist; Maud Kathleen Lewis - Nova Scotia (1903 – 1970)

•  Where the name, Maud Kathleen Lewis (1903 – 1970) Known as Maud Lewis, is given with the first name/s and surname of the artist, usually cited as, Maud Kathleen Lewis (1903 – 1970) Known as Maud Lewis, 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 and one painted by that artist. This is usually fully qualified by its inclusion in any catalogue raissone, or by the guarantee of the opinion given by the appropriate and internationally recognized expert authority on the artist.

•  When Maud Kathleen Lewis (1903 – 1970) Known as Maud Lewis, is the term used, or it is similarly defined as Attrib. to ' [abbreviated,] or Attribué à, 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 'possibly' may be by the artist.

•  But if the term Maud Kathleen Lewis (1903 – 1970) Known as Maud Lewis) - circle of, entourage, or “Circle of Maud Lewis ” 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 or student.

•  When the name is given thus; Painted in the “Style of Maud Lewis ” or “Follower of Maud Lewis is used, this means that in their opinion it is a work of art executed only in the artist’s way, 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 Maud Lewis 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 as named.

•  When the term “After….Maud Lewis "; 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 - Maud Lewis ; “Dated….” or “Inscribed Maud Lewis ” 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, Maud Lewis is specified followed by the words; "With signature ….”, or “With date ….” or “With inscription….” or “Bears signature of Maud Lewis /date/or inscription” Then in 'their opinion,' either the signature / date / or inscription is spurious, forged or 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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