COPY OR ORIGINAL?

Could your copy of a famous painting actually be the original? It’s certainly possible.

Differentiating between an original and a copy requires a practiced eye and systematic methods of research. Our experts analyze the question of originality using the most advanced scientific and forensic methods available, combined with provenance research and years of specialized experience.

A well-known example, in which a copy was actually an original and the original a copy, is a Rembrandt’s self-portrait from 1629. Two versions of the painting were in the permanent collections of two highly-esteemed museums – one in Nuremberg, Germany; the other in The Hague, Netherlands.

A well-known example, in which a copy was actually an original and the original a copy, is a Rembrandt’s self-portrait from 1629. Two versions of the painting were in the permanent collections of two highly-esteemed museums – one in Nuremberg, Germany; the other in The Hague, Netherlands.

Both museums claimed to have the original. After many years of unresolved controversy, x-ray analysis finally confirmed that the painting in The Hague was a copy of the painting in Nuremberg.

Nuremburg. Rembrandt 1629. Self-Portrait in a Gorget. Recently considered to be a copy, now recognized as the original

The Hague. Rembrandt 1629. Self-Portrait with Lace Collar. Recently considered to be an original, now recognized as a copy

Both museums claimed to have the original. After many years of unresolved controversy, x-ray analysis finally confirmed that the painting in The Hague was a copy of the painting in Nuremberg.

Unlike many museum and auction houses, we don’t automatically assume that the painting from a private collection must be a copy. We take all inquiries seriously and exhaust all avenues of research to determine the origin and authenticity of your artwork.

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