Artwork Research Checklist
Before you research a painting, gather the right evidence. Check what you already have, see your readiness score, and find out what each missing item would add to your investigation.
What do you have?
What the missing 8 items would add
- Full front photograph
A full front photo is the starting point for style, subject and composition comparisons, and for visual searches against museum and auction records.
- Signature close-up
A sharp signature close-up lets you test a possible name against signature references and known examples. Without it, the name stays a guess.
- Full verso (back) photograph
The back often carries the strongest evidence: stretcher type, labels, stamps and inscriptions. Without it you lose most of the object's history.
- Labels, stamps and inscriptions
Gallery labels, exhibition labels, stamps and handwritten notes are leads you can follow in archives and catalogs. Missing them means missing the paper trail.
- Frame and support details
Frame and support details help estimate when and where the object was made, and whether the frame is original or a later replacement.
- Dimensions measured
Measured dimensions are needed to match catalog entries and auction records, and they are a key factor in any market estimate.
- Known provenance and location history
Even a short history (where it was bought, who owned it, which city it came from) narrows the research. Without it, the object has no context.
- Close-ups of technique and surface
Surface close-ups help tell an original painting from a print or reproduction, and show condition issues that affect a market estimate.
Why each evidence type matters
Researchers rarely rely on a single clue. Each item on the checklist answers a different question about the object: who may have made it, when, where, and what has happened to it since.
Full front photograph
Style, palette, subject and composition are the first things a researcher compares against an artist's known body of work. Without the full image, every other clue lacks context.
Example: A coastal scene photographed edge to edge lets a researcher compare the horizon placement and brushwork with seascapes sold under the same name.
Research tip: Remove the glass if it is safe to do so, or shoot at a slight angle to keep reflections off the paint.
Signature close-up
A readable signature is often the fastest route to a possible attribution, but only when the letters can be compared stroke by stroke with documented examples.
Example: A close-up showed that a signature read as "Moret" was in fact "Morel", which led to a different and better-documented regional painter.
Research tip: Fill the frame with the signature, tap to focus, and keep some of the surrounding paint so the paint layer is visible.
Full verso (back) photograph
The verso records how and when the object was made and where it has been. Canvas weave, stretcher construction and old repairs help date the support.
Example: A keyed stretcher with an artist's supply-shop stamp placed a canvas in late 19th-century Paris, which narrowed the list of possible artists considerably.
Research tip: Photograph the whole back first, then each corner and each label separately.
Labels, stamps and inscriptions
Each label is a lead: a gallery that sold the work, an exhibition that showed it, a framer who handled it. Together they can rebuild a chain of ownership.
Example: A torn exhibition label with a catalog number matched an entry in a 1930s regional salon catalog, giving a title and a date.
Research tip: Shoot labels flat and close, then take one wider shot that shows where each label sits on the back.
Frame and support details
Construction methods change over time. Hand-cut nails, staples, panel bevels and frame profiles all help place an object in a period and region.
Example: Machine-made staples on an "18th-century" canvas showed it had at least been restretched in the 20th century, which changed the research questions.
Research tip: Photograph one front corner and one back corner of the frame, plus the canvas edge where it wraps around the stretcher.
Dimensions measured
Catalogs and auction records list dimensions. Size also affects market estimates: two works by the same artist can sell for very different amounts based on size alone.
Example: A painting measured at 24 × 36 in matched an auction record of the same title and size, confirming the two entries described the same work.
Research tip: Measure the image (sight size) and the full frame separately. Note the units.
Known provenance and location history
Provenance connects an object to people and places. A family story, an estate sale listing or a receipt can each point to a region, a period or a collection.
Example: Knowing a painting came from an estate in Cincinnati pointed researchers to local artists who exhibited there in the 1920s.
Research tip: Write down what you know now, even if it is uncertain. Note the source of each fact (receipt, family story, listing).
Close-ups of technique and surface
Raking-light close-ups reveal brushwork, impasto, craquelure and any dot pattern from printing. They help separate hand-painted works from reproductions.
Example: A macro photo revealed a regular dot pattern under a glossy varnish, showing the "oil painting" was a printed reproduction with added texture.
Research tip: Light the surface from one side (raking light) to bring out texture, and shoot a few areas at different distances.
What good photos look like
Good research photos are sharp, evenly lit and shot straight on. You don't need special equipment: a recent smartphone and a window are enough.
Lighting
- Use indirect daylight near a window. Avoid direct sun, which flattens colors and creates hot spots.
- Turn off the flash. It bounces off varnish and glass and hides the paint surface.
- For texture, add one raking-light shot with the light coming from the side.
Angles
- Hold the phone parallel to the artwork, centered on it, so the edges stay straight.
- Step back and zoom slightly (2×) rather than shooting close with the wide lens to reduce distortion.
- Fill the frame with the object, leaving a thin margin around the edges.
Resolution
- Use your phone's main camera at its default (highest) resolution. Most phones from the last five years are enough.
- Aim for at least 2,000 pixels on the long edge for full views and close-ups.
- Send original files, not screenshots or messaging-app copies, which are compressed.
For a step-by-step version you can use on location, see How to Photograph a Painting.
Common mistakes
Blurry signature photos
Only the front, never the back
Missing dimensions
Photos through glass with reflections
Frequently asked questions
What photos do I need to research a painting?
At minimum: a full front photo, a sharp signature close-up, the full back, each label or inscription, and one or two surface close-ups. Add measured dimensions and any history you know. This checklist covers all eight items.
Is the readiness score an assessment of my artwork?
No. The score only measures how complete your evidence is for research. It says nothing about who made the work or what it may be worth.
Does this checklist send my answers anywhere?
No. The score is calculated in your browser and nothing is uploaded or stored. You only share photos if you choose to start a Veriso analysis.
What if the painting has no signature?
Many works are unsigned. Leave that item unchecked and focus on the back, labels, construction and surface. Unsigned works can still be researched through style, materials and provenance.
Can I research a painting with only photos?
Photos are enough to start research: identifying possible artists, finding comparable sales and planning next steps. Formal authentication or appraisal requires a specialist who can examine the object in person.
How does Veriso use these photos?
Veriso reads the signature, compares style and materials with reference records, checks auction comparables and returns a possible attribution with a market estimate, showing the evidence behind each conclusion.
Ready to investigate your artwork?
Saving your checklist as a reference is coming soon.